Heated Betrayal
by Kijzar
Summary: When the Inu brothers go into heat, Kagome is caught in the cross hairs. Inuyasha tries the unthinkable and sends Kagome directly into Sesshomaru's arms. An unknown enemy has his sights on Kagome, threatening the gentle balance of the relations between demons and humans. AU, Sesshomaru is OOC as well as Inuyasha. This is LEMON. For MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY.
1. Chapter 1: Unwanted Advance

Alright folks, here's chapter one of my new story, Heated Betrayal!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: **I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

I'd been following her for months. I knew she was dating my hanyou half brother, but something about her was getting to me. Summer was coming and the heat would be upon us soon, as well as the full moon. The full moon falling on the in-heat period of time was a horrendous mixture. I already have to reign in my control during the full moon, and when I'm in heat, but having them together would be disastrous. I knew I'd have to get far away from her on the night of the full moon, but that was in two days. For now, I could keep tailing her. Her sweet scent was tantalizing and it made her easy to follow. The sky was threatening rain, and following her would be far more difficult if I couldn't scent her out, but if I stuck close enough, I could keep on the trail.

Tonight she was having a date with Inuyasha, my half brother. They were in a pho restaurant across from the cafe I was hiding in. Being reduced to following a woman, a _human_ woman at that, was getting on my nerves. I'm a lord, and having to do anything like this made me furious. My instincts had full control of me, though, and it was all I could do to maintain my restraint and keep myself from taking her right there on the sidewalk. I wasn't a heathen and I wasn't a rapist. If I wanted a woman, I could damn well charm any female that walked past me on the street, and if they didn't want me, well there was no accounting for taste. No use crying over spilt milk.

So, agitated and horny, I sat there watching the two until they exited the restaurant. I sat in the cafe sipping a green tea that was tolerable, but not great by any means. There were people milling around on the streets, strolling hand in hand. It was Friday and apparently people were out having dates. The idea had been foreign to me, wanting to spend time with one particular woman for an extended period, but meeting Kagome had made me think about the concept more often the I'd like to admit. After nearly 90 minutes, they left hand in hand and walked down the sidewalk, headed god knows where. I watched them and followed a few dozen feet behind them, cloaking my aura as I went. It would do no good to have them sense me and question me about my activities. They turned down a different street as the sky opened up above me, dumping rain down to the earth. I grumbled a bit, and noticed that the moon was nearly full and could be seen through the clouds. As I noticed the moon, I heard a feral growl and a startled yelp. I lowered my head and looked to where they had just been standing. They were gone and I felt an angry aura well up, mixed with a pure one that felt frantic. I sped around the corner and followed the auras into an alley. What I saw made my eyes bleed red and made me want to slaughter something.

Kagome was lying on the ground sobbing, with claw marks on her arms that were bleeding profusely and her dress was torn into pieces and was barely hanging from her frame. Inuyasha's eyes were bleeding red and the ragged stripes were present on his cheeks. He was on top of Kagome, pawing at her while she attempted to get away from him. She was shouting 'no' at him over and over again but he wasn't listening. He reached for her underwear and ripped them off in one pull. She fought harder still and he reached for his belt and something inside me snapped.

I ran up to them and snatched the back of his jacket and wrenched him off her. I threw him across the alley and into a wall. Kagome stayed on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, while I stalked over to Inuyasha and began beating him to a pulp. My control slipped and I found myself driving my fists into his face and abdomen over and over again. He growled and whimpered every time my fists connected with his body. When he wasn't whimpering like a beaten dog, he was snarling at me, curses spilling from his mouth left and right. He fought back as well as he could but he wasn't in complete control of his faculties. When he finally passed out, my sanity reappeared and I made myself stop pummeling him. Rage still seeped from my every pore and I wanted to rip his testicles off of his body and shove them down his throat. Taking a calming breath, I pulled out my phone and dialed our father.

" _Toga here._ "

"It happened again. This time he attacked his own girlfriend. She's a mess, I'm going to take care of her. Send someone to handle him. If I handle it, I'll kill him." My voice was ice, giving the illusion that I was cool, calm, and collected. I could hear a tinge of raw anger in it, and hoped that my father didn't hear the extent of my emotions, he'd likely attribute it to me having feelings for the girl, or some such nonsense like that.

I hung up without an answer, and I purposely didn't give him the address. Inuyasha could stay passed out on the ground in the rain for days for all I gave a fuck. Taking another deep breath, I softened my features, turned to Kagome and approached her slowly. She was still hysterical and I didn't want to cause her more fear. She was sitting on the concrete with her arms covering her chest, sobbing quietly and running her hands over her arms continuously. I pulled off my jacket and walked toward her very slowly. I knelt down by her side and brought my hand to her shoulder. She flinched at the contact and looked up into my face.

"It's me, Kagome. It's Sesshomaru. He's out, Kagome. He can't hurt you anymore. Let me help you."

She was still crying softly but she nodded at me. The fear that had been dominant in her eyes eased away and what seemed like trust replaced it. I had expected her to become void and emotionless in the face of what had happened to her. I'd heard of many assault victims who became detached and depressed and the thought of her becoming that way, because of the filthy half breed, made me angry, more angry then I liked to admit. Shaking those thoughts off, I turned back to her to give her my full attention.

"I'm going to pick you up, okay Kagome?"

She nodded again but still flinched when I put my arms around her shoulders. Hoisting her into my arms, I settled her against my chest and covered her with my jacket. She turned her face into my chest and let out a few more sobs, then fell oddly silent. She was asleep. I made my way through the back alleys and toward my apartment. On the way her grip around my neck tightened and she nuzzled into my chest. It made fire scorch through me. Making my way into the building, I headed toward my apartment. It was really more of a condo, large and spacious and I was thrilled to be out of the damn rain. At this rate, she'd be traumatized psychologically and she'd catch a nasty cold. Heading straight toward the elevator, I ignored the clerks inquisitive stares. Hitting the button for the top floor, I gazed on her sleeping face. Dried tears still covered her face and the scent of salt was in my nose. I was still in a rage about what he'd done to her, but it was hard for me to feel anything but calm while she was so near. Her face was mostly peaceful except for an angry V in her brow and a slight frown pulling at her plump, pink lips.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened and I strode down the hallway to the door to my condo. Opening the door, I made my way through the hallways and into my room. Settling her onto the bed, she rolled to her side, but didn't wake. The second she was out of my arms, I felt her absence like a blizzard overtaking me. I shook my head to clear those thoughts and went to the closet and rummaged around until I found a long t-shirt. Returning to her, I set my hand on her shoulder and sent a small pulse of my yoki at her. Not enough to hurt, but enough so she'd wake. Her eyes fluttered, filled with confusion and then when they focused on me they filled with tears again.

"Here, put this on." I handed her the shirt and turned around to give her some privacy. I could hear the ruffling of clothes and her sniffing gently.

"You're good now." Her voice sounded raw and was thick with emotion.

Moving over to the bed, I sat next to her and took her appearance in. She looked devastatingly beautiful with mussed hair in my oversized clothing. It sent a wave of pride through me, seeing her in my clothes. I tried to refocus and stop gaping at her body. I looked into her tear filled eyes, "Are you okay?"

The tears fell faster down her face and she threw her arms around my neck, pulling me into a tight hug. I stiffened, surprised at the physical contact, then let my arms go around her and I pulled her slowly into my lap. My arms had a mind of their own apparently, I hadn't made the conscious decision to pull her into my lap, but there she was.

"No, I'm not okay. What happened to him? Why did he… he..", she broke into sobs again and I lifted a hand to her hair to soothe her. I'd seen my father do it countless times to sobbing women, so I assumed it would help to calm her.

"He's in heat. Most of the demons are in heat during this time of year. He doesn't have as much control over himself as a full demon. His half demon blood is raging through him, burning extremely hot and devouring his human blood, and thus his control. He has only gone into heat a few times before, but every time it has ended disastrously. He nearly killed a female servant and our father had to beat him half to death before he passed out. Sometimes he can get through heat without an incident but I didn't trust him with you, so I was following you."

She seemed distraught at the thought that he'd done this more then once. The explanation of my presence, however, was a clever half truth. It explained my presence without me having to admit I was nearly obsessed with the little woman. I never lie outright, but telling half truths had become an excellent talent of mine. She nodded, still sobbing into my chest, and looked up into my eyes. Her blue sapphires shone brightly and were filled with affection.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there."

"You can stay here tonight, and I can keep an eye on you, if you'd like. He doesn't know where my apartment is, and my father was notified of his actions. More than likely, he's being picked up right now."

As if on cue, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and seeing it was my father, I answered it.

"Sesshomaru."

"It's your father. I've got him. What did you do to him, by the way? He looks like he got into a fight with a heavyweight boxing champion."

"I did what I had to do to knock him out."

He grunted at that and I hung up, and turning back toward Kagome, I noticed the tears had stopped and she was looking at me with curious eyes.

"I'm sorry about this. I'm sure you've got better things to do then watch over me. I can go, if you like."

"No, you're no bother to me. I don't have any plans and after what you've been through tonight, I think it would be wise for you to remain somewhere you know you're safe, with someone who can protect you."

She nodded and then all at once seemed to realize that she was in my lap. She crawled back onto the bed, with a blush covering her face, and looked up at me. Her eyes were big beautiful sapphires and they seemed to bore into my soul.

"You said.. You said nearly all demons are in heat right now. Doesn't that mean you are too?"

My libido chose that time to rear its head, but I stomped it back down and cleared my throat, "True, I am, but I have complete control over myself. I've never hurt anyone during my heat, and I've never taken anyone against their will."

She blushed again and dropped her gaze. I could smell the embarrassment rolling off of her and decided to give her a little space.

"There are sweat pants in the closet. I'll make some tea. If you want to bathe, the bathroom's through that door."

I turned to leave and she caught my hand with her own. The feel of her soft skin on my hand made me shiver pleasantly. She was intoxicating, her small gesture sent lightning through my veins. I turned back to her and her eyes were filled with affection again.

"Really, Sesshomaru. Thank you. I'm… untouched still. You saved me, and I'm in your debt."

When my head wrapped around her statement, I decided I needed to escape her compelling presence soon. Immediately. She was a virgin and gorgeous, in my bed while I was in heat. I nearly pounced on her right then. Clearing my throat to empty my head, I glanced away from her.

"No thanks necessary." With that I pulled my hand from hers and walked swiftly out of the room and to the kitchen. I could hear her rummaging through my closet but the second I was at the kitchen island, I put my head in my hands and took a few good, deep breaths that didn't have her scent on them. She was deliriously intoxicating and she made my head spin. What right did one tiny woman have to upend my world in one evening? How in god's name did she manage to still be a virgin even while dating Inuyasha? That kid was a deviant if I ever saw one. He was nailing sluts left and right before he started dating Kagome. I scowled at the thought of them together like that and I felt fury start to boil up.

When I'd regained my composure, I put the kettle on to make some tea. While the water was heating, I focused on getting myself fully under control and staying in control. The kettle started to boil and I made two cups of tea. Coincidentally, Kagome and I had the same favorite tea. She'd been telling Inuyasha her favorite foods and drinks while she was over at our fathers mansion and I'd happened to be in the room. She'd gone on and on about this amazing Chinese green tea with american peppermint in it, and she'd stated fervently that it was her favorite kind of tea. Little did she know, it was also my favorite kind and my father had looked between the two of us with his eyebrows raised. Inuyasha had blatantly ignored her during the entire conversation and had been texting on his phone. She hadn't noticed, but after she'd gone, my father had cornered me about the girl. He was telling me how beautiful and kind she was, and how she even liked some of the same things I did. He had also said, on more then one occasion, that she was far too nice for Inuyasha and that he needed someone to put him in his place. I'd silently agreed and avoided talking to him about her since then. I'd wondered for a while why my father even allowed him to date her. I had a sneaking suspicion that my father loved Kagome and wanted to keep her around until either Inuyasha tossed her aside or I 'came to my senses and snatched her up for myself'. I rolled my eyes at the statement he'd muttered angrily while making a hasty retreat in the shadow of my anger.

Finishing up the tea, I walked back in the bedroom to find her in my shirt, sweatpants, my sweatshirt and scrolling through her phone. The sight made more pride and possessiveness roll through me. I handed her the tea silently and she sipped it gingerly. When the taste of the tea finally registered in her mind, her eyes lit up and a small smile crossed her face. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning and I almost smiled at the beautiful sight.

"Did you remember that this is my favorite, or did you just happen to pick it?" Her voice was sexy and alluring even though I could tell that wasn't her aim.

I cleared my throat, slightly embarrassed she remembered that I was even present that day, "It's actually my favorite as well. I only keep a few kinds of tea in the house, but I did remember that you like it."

Her grin grew wider and I felt uneasy at her attention. Her eyes penetrated my usual mask and made my skin tingle. I felt her presence like she was a blazing forest fire that I stood in the middle of.

"How thoughtful of you", her voice was like chiming bells and I wanted to bask in it.

"You should try to get some sleep. I'm sure you're exhausted after such a hellish evening."

Her face turned grim again and she nodded at me. She set her empty cup on the bedside table and burrowed into the blankets. I watched as she got comfortable and then I got up and snagged a book from the shelf, and settled into the chair that faced the bed.

"Thank you, again, Sesshomaru. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there."

A shiver ran through both of us at the thought and I nodded my head toward her. Her breathing started to even out and her heartbeat slowed. In minutes she was asleep and I followed close after, her wonderful scent and the calming sounds of her breathing lulling me into slumber.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed! The next chapter will be out soon! If you haven't read my other story, The Long Winter, you can find it on my profile!**

 **Thank you for reading. Love, KJ**


	2. Chapter 2: Unexpected

**DISCLAIMER: _I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!_**

* * *

The sound of buzzing nearby made me open my eyes. Bright light filtered into my eyes and I snapped them shut again. The buzzing persisted, so I opened my eyes again. Looking around I found my phone on the bedside table. It was still buzzing steadily so I grabbed it and blinked a few times, trying to let the name on the screen sink into my head. Rage welled up in me when I realized what I was looking at. I had ten missed calls from Inuyasha this morning and thirty two unread texts from him. I also had five texts from my best friend Sango, but I skipped over them to read Inuyasha's texts.

 **I: Kagome, I'm sorry. Please call me.**

 **I: Kagome please call. Let me explain everything.**

A few more looked the same until his temper kicked in and he started escalating.

 **I: You're my girlfriend Kagome! You can't leave me when things get hard!**

 **I: You're a pathetic girlfriend! You're mine! I will never let you leave me!**

I gulped and noticed my phone was being held in a white knuckle death grip. Fury and fear welled up inside my chest and angry tears leaked from my eyes. Taking a deep breath and calming myself, I re-read all of Inuyasha's texts and set my phone down. Looking up, I noticed Sesshomaru was sleeping in the chair he'd occupied last night. His head was resting on the wall behind him and his face was serene and beautiful. He's hands down the most beautiful man I've ever seen. His beautiful, long, silver hair fell from his shoulders and past his waist in stunning moonlit waves. His face was so peaceful and it was a complete contrast to the masked face he wears around everyone. My heart warmed at the sight of him.

 _He stayed all night. Just to protect me._

Blushing slightly, I got out of bed and went searching for the bathroom. Finding it, I turned on the bathtub and removed my clothes. I climbed in slowly, noticing for the first time that I had cuts that were scabbed over running down both of my arms. They burned a little when they touched the water. I inspected them more closely and realized they were claw marks from Inuyasha. Tears sprung into my eyes again, but this time I let them fall willingly.

I'd only been dating Inuyasha for six months. He'd been good to me, mostly. He called me names a lot and argued with me over little things. He never took me out to bars or clubs, only to little hole in the wall restaurants and out of the way cafes. He was always bossing me around and never asked me what I wanted. When he demanded I move in with him, and I said no, he'd gone into a rage for days and had swapped between screaming in my face and ignoring me. I didn't end up moving in with him, but I did move some of my things there. I had some clothes, my laptop and a few pairs of shoes. When he'd gone into the fit of anger I'd considered leaving him, but I thought that all couples fought and that it was natural. I hadn't realized then that he was unhinged, but I understood it fully now.

I sighed heavily when I realized I'd have to go there to get my things. If I could manage to go when he was sure to be gone, I could get in and out before he even noticed. Otherwise I'd have to take someone with me, and the only person I could think of that was capable of protecting me efficiently against Inuyasha was Sesshoumaru, and I wouldn't ask him for more assistance if I could avoid it. I already felt guilty that he'd helped me this much, but I couldn't find it in my heart to regret it. He'd saved me even though he didn't have to. Inuyasha had made it clear to me that Sesshomaru hated half breeds and humans, but it had never seemed that way to me. He was always watching me when I was in the same room as him, and he was always listening to what I had to say. Unlike Inuyasha, who only listened to me ten percent of the time I talked and found a way to make me feel like I was in the wrong when I confront him about it.

Sighing again, I realized I'd been in the bath for a while and the water was cold. I climbed out and searched for a towel. Finding one, I dried myself off and put Sesshomaru's sweatpants and shirt back on. Exiting the bathroom, I walked back into the bedroom, noticing that Sesshomaru was gone, and found my phone buzzing again. It was on the bedside table, and not on the bed where I thought I'd left it. I huffed a bit, thinking that either Sesshomaru had gone through my phone, or I was going crazy. I picked it up and looked at the caller ID. Inuyasha was calling me again. Anger rushed through my body and I decided to pick it up, if only to tell him we were done.

"What do you want, Inuyasha?"

" _Kagome, finally! I've been calling you all damn morning! Where the hell are you?"_

"It's none of your business where I am. How dare you even ask? We're done Inuyasha."

" _What? No! Kagome, let me explain!"_

"No! There's nothing to explain. I already know you've done this before! I know that you are a monster that takes advantage of women! Stay away from me!"

I could hear him shouting and cursing before I hung up on him. Sitting down I put my head between my knees and tried to calm down. My body was shaking as a side effect of the pure rage coursing through my system. I made a vow to myself, then and there, that I would find another miko and try to get training to control my powers and I would find a self defense instructor and learn how to kick some ass so that I'd never be a victim again. I heard shuffling at the door that brought me out of my thoughts. Sesshoumaru came in holding two cups of tea. I wiped my face and thanked him for the tea. He motioned at my phone and cocked an eyebrow at me.

"He's called me almost a dozen times. I told him we were done, but he doesn't seem to believe me."

Sesshomaru huffed a little but stayed silent. I eyed him warily. He was far more vocal last night. Today he had a look of cold indifference and was keeping his thoughts under lock and key. I nearly rolled my eyes, severely curious as to what caused the change in his demeanor.

"I'll just finish this tea and go. I wouldn't want to cause you any more trouble today."

He shook his head once, "You're planning to go retrieve your things from his apartment, aren't you?"

His spot on observation made me a little wary, but I nodded anyway and he shook his head again.

"You're not going alone. He could corner you. I will not be responsible for you getting attacked again, Miko."

His coldness floored me. Yesterday he was tender about my feelings, but today he was acting like I was just a responsibility. I searched his eyes for the emotion I knew he was masking.

"That's not necessary. I'm just going to go when he's left for work."

"Hn. I will accompany you. Just in case."

I sighed, obviously I wouldn't win this battle. I nodded at him and he walked out of the room. I followed him to the kitchen and he pushed some toast at me. I ate in silence while he watched me. His gaze made me uneasy and my skin was tingling everywhere his eyes wandered. His gaze was unnerving, it was practically devouring me. His eyes were filled with an emotion I couldn't peg, but it looked terrifyingly close to lust. I cleared my throat when I was finished and he grabbed my plate and put it into the sink. He motioned for me to follow him and he grabbed his keys as he walked to the door. I followed and he led me to an elevator. We rode down in silence but the atmosphere was choking me. An unidentifiable energy coursed through the tiny space and my entire body was on fire. We exited the tiny compartment and I took in a massive breath as we walked into the parking garage. He walked up to the most beautiful and expensive car I'd ever seen. It was a black Audi R8. He opened the door for me and I slid into the passenger seat. The car was gorgeous. I'd never seen or touched something this expensive, it was mesmerizing. I looked at the interior, practically salivating at the beauty of it. Moments later, Sesshomaru slid into the driver side seat. He looked at me and frowned slightly.

"You should probably change. Where do you live?"

His brisk manner was still throwing me off, but I told him the address of my apartment anyway. He fired up the engine and pulled out of the parking garage. The ride was passed in silence and I spent the entire time thinking. Inuyasha had called Sesshoumaru the Ice Prince. I hadn't believed him at the time, he'd been polite enough when we were introduced and the handful of other times I'd seen him at Toga's estate. After this morning though, I was inclined to believe he was telling the truth. Obviously there was more to him then just his facade. He'd been more than polite last night. He'd been thoughtful and kind to me when I was in need. I couldn't stop thinking about how sweet and gentle he was with me when he'd found me in the alley.

Sesshomaru cleared his throat, bringing me out of my thoughts and I realized that we were at my apartment. Sesshomaru looked unsure of letting me go alone.

"You can come with me. I don't think he'll be here, but better safe than sorry, right?"

He grunted at me and got out of the car. With demon speed, he rounded the vehicle and opened my door for me. I raised my eye brow to myself, _ever the gentleman._ I thanked him and led him up the stairs to my apartment. When I arrived at the door and pulled out my keys, Sesshomaru snatched them out of my hands and opened the door himself. I huffed at him but followed him into my apartment slowly. He looked around and I could hear him scenting the air. When he was appeased, he turned to me and motioned his hand that I could proceed. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I heard a sound that was startlingly close to a chuckle. I strode into my bedroom and closed the door behind me. I grabbed a dress and a cardigan and put them on. I didn't want the cardigan, it was warm out, but I needed it to hide the scratches covering my arms. I'd seen Sesshomaru eyeing them angrily and noticed that he'd been extra icy and quiet. He was a master at brooding.

Exiting the bedroom, I saw that Sesshomaru was standing in my living room looking at my large bookshelf. It was stocked with dozens of books and had a few pictures of my mom and brother, Souta, on it. He was looking at the books with obvious surprise. I thought it was a little irritating that he was surprised that I was well read. He fingered a particular book of poetry that was, coincidentally, my favorite. It was an old copy of poems written in the feudal era about the dark times they'd faced and two lovers separated by time, titled: _Love Across the Era's._

"That's my favorite", I stated quietly. He stepped back from the shelf quickly and dropped his hand to his side, flexing it as thought it were burned. He gazed at me, taking in the site of me in my dress. There was an emotion in his eyes that looked somewhere between shocked and curious but I let it go, knowing he wouldn't enjoy being questioned by me. He nodded at me once.

"That's better. Shall we go?"

I nodded at him and followed him back to the car. We rode in silence again and my nerves started to rampage in my chest. I was praying to every god that Inuyasha wouldn't be there. I wasn't sure if I could handle seeing him yet. A few minutes before we arrived, Sesshomaru cleared his throat. I snapped my head up to find him flitting his eyes back and forth between me and the road.

"What is it? You're sighing like a highschool girl."

Anger rose in my chest again but I tried to shove it down, "I'm just nervous. I hope he isn't there."

He grunted at me and pulled into the parking lot to Inuyasha's condo. He opened my door for me again and then stood sniffing the air. His eyes darted around the parking lot and I saw him gaze at its exit.

"I believe he is gone. You should be able to grab your things. Be quick. I will wait here until you return, just in case he comes back before you're done."

"Okay, thank you."

I turned and walked toward the stairs. Arriving at his apartment, I opened the door with the key he'd given me. I heard noises coming from the bedroom and assumed it was the cleaning lady. I trailed slowly through his apartment, thinking about all the moments that could have led up to this. I sighed angrily, realizing I should have left when we'd gotten into that fight about moving in together. I couldn't change anything now, however, so I tried to focus on my task. I walked toward the back of the condo, grabbing my laptop off the kitchen table before heading into the bedroom. When I opened the door, I realized that the noises hadn't been coming from the cleaning lady. The noises had been coming from Inuyasha, who was currently in bed with some girl I didn't recognize.

* * *

I leaned on my car while I was waiting for Kagome. When we'd arrived I had been able to smell Inuyasha's scent mixed with a female aroma. The scent had been a few hours old and had been most potent near the exit to the parking lot, so I figured that he'd left with the female hours ago. It wasn't until I heard noises floating down from the open condo door to my hyper-sensitive ears, that I realized just how incorrect my assumption had been.

"Oh fuck", I muttered while I ran toward the apartment.

The sound of two people having sex was still coming from the apartment, they hadn't realized she was there yet. I ran in and saw her open the door to the bedroom. Her face fell and I ran up behind her. What I saw made rage roll through me and made my stomach turn. Not even a few hours after she'd broken up with him, and not even a full day after he'd tried to take advantage of her, he was having sex with another woman. He was still inside the woman and she was groaning his name. A quick look validated that it was his ex-girlfriend Kikyo. Glancing up to Inuyasha's face I realized that he was not in control of himself. His eyes were crimson and there were jagged stripes lining his cheeks. He had his claws sunk deep into the flesh of the woman's hips and the punctures were bleeding profusely. She didn't seem to notice that he was damaging her.

Kagome let out an angry scoff and both Inuyasha and Kikyo looked up to see us in the doorway. Inuyasha growled and bared his teeth at us.

"Kagome, you've come back to me", his voice was a growl and the words sent possessive fury through me.

"No I haven't! You're despicable! I can't believe I ever lowered myself to date you!" She turned and ran straight into my chest.

Inuyasha started screaming and rampaging, "Kagome, you'll always be mine! I'll never let you leave me you stupid bitch!"

I grabbed her and picked her up, trying to book it back outside to the car. I wouldn't mind tearing Inuyasha to pieces, but while Kagome was there, she was in danger. A quick consideration about how my father would feel if I butchered his other son flitted through my head, but I shook it off, not actually caring if I disappointed him. I saw Inuyasha climb off the woman and run toward us. Kagome yelped as he reached for her and ripped the back of her dress. The scent of her blood filled my nostrils and I realized he'd clawed her. I snarled at him and turned to leave. He ran after us and Kagome saw him leap at us as we were exiting the door. She threw up her hands and a powerful, pure barrier appeared in front of the doorway, caging him inside. He snarled and batted at the barrier, only to have it zap him over and over again. I felt Kagome go rigid in my arms, and when I looked down at her face, she was knocked out. I growled, wanting to go into the apartment and beat Inuyasha to death, but knowing I had to get Kagome back to my apartment safely, I turned toward the parking lot.

I picked her up and settled her into my arms again and carried her to the car. Settling her into the seat and buckling her in, I pushed the hair back from her face and noticed she had a long gash on her cheek as well as claw marks on her shoulder and her dress was torn into shreds, just like the day before. Inuyasha must have swiped at her from behind me when I hadn't seen. A growl rose in my throat but I silenced it when she stirred. I closed her door and went to my side and climbed in. I was still fuming. I wanted to cut Inuyasha's head off. I frowned when I realized my father wouldn't let me kill him just because he was an idiot.

I drove back to my apartment, speeding the entire way. I kept my eyes on the road and away from Kagome's sleeping form. If I saw her wounds again, I was likely to turn the car around and do something stupid. I spent the drive thinking about her barrier. I knew she was a miko and that she was untrained but had a lot of untapped potential. Her aura was massive, even untrained as she was. If she had proper training, she'd be nearly impossible to kill. She'd thrown up the barrier without a second thought, though the effects of such a strong barrier compounded with very little practice, resulted in her being knocked out and sapped of her energy. Maybe if I suggested to her that she should get some combat training and learn how to use her miko powers, she'd agree. I pondered over the idea of training her in combat myself. I'd been training since I could walk, and I was a decent teacher. Maybe she'd consider it if I present the option to her. It would ease my mind that she had some self defense training and I'd get to spend more time with her.

Soon we were pulling into the parking garage. I pulled a jacket out of my trunk and went around to her door. As I was covering her with my jacket, I realized she had something grasped in her arms. It was her computer. It surprised me that she'd had the strength to keep her hold on it as we were departing. I settled the jacket on her and pulled her into my arms. We ascended to my apartment in the elevator, and I took the time to study her face again. Seeing the cut made anger boil inside me, but I kept it reined in. Before the doors could open, I leaned down to her face and licked the line of her cut. Luckily Inuyasha didn't have the ability to poison anyone with his claws or fangs, like I did. The scar would be nasty if he had used poison. It closed and disappeared almost immediately. Left behind was a tiny white scar that was nearly imperceptible. She stirred a bit and I pulled my face away. The taste of her blood was addictive. It was sweet and mouthwatering. I locked down my beast and took control of myself once again as I headed into my apartment. I sighed internally, how often would I have to save her and carry her unconscious body back here? I settled her onto the bed, just like last night, and tossed a T-shirt next to her. I sat on the edge of the bed and watched her sleep for a few minutes. Thoughts were sifting through my head like quicksand and my heart was beating wildly in my chest. Having her here, in my apartment, was starting to wear down my control. She was gorgeous and she smelled fantastic. Her ebony hair flowed around her and over the sheets like waves. Her tresses were in stark contrast to her lovely porcelain skin and her lips were plump and pink. Her body was phenomenal and she had wonderful, luscious curves.

A last thought flickered through my head before I forced myself to get up and go into the kitchen: if she stayed here much longer with me, my control would break and I wouldn't be able to just have sex with her one time. Which was a highly dangerous activity for a human to take part in with a demon that was in heat. I knew my attraction to her was more then just physical, and with my heightened level of arousal, I'd probably make the mistake of making her my mate, and possibly hurting her.

* * *

 **Feel free to leave a review and let me know if there's something you'd like to see happen in this story.**

 **Love,**

 **KJ**


	3. Chapter 3: Biggest danger

**_STOP._**

 **Before you read this chapter, I re-wrote chapters one and two. Please go back and read those first. It took so long to post again because I didn't like what had been posted. So I fixed the problem.**

 **Thank you for sticking with me.**

 **As always, thank you for reading.**

 **Love, KJ**

Disclaimer: **I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

With one last look at Kagome's peaceful face, I grabbed her phone off of the nightstand and started to go through it. I knew it was a major breech in privacy, but I had to know what had riled her up so much this morning. When I'd walked into the room to find her on the phone with Inuyasha, her aura was flaring dangerously and it was even painful for me to be near it. Her raw power had burned my skin. Finding her message app, I clicked into it and opened up the thread from Inuyasha. The most recent texts made anger roll steadily through me.

 **I: You'll always be mine, you stuck up little bitch!**

 **I: I won't let anyone have you!**

 **I:** **You're a pathetic girlfriend! You're mine! I will never let you leave me!**

 **I: If I can't have you, no one will!**

Those were some of the most recent ones. There was at least thirty messages from him and knowing he knew her number at all made me angry. My temper was short as is, due to his cyber and physical attacks on Kagome. I scrolled back to the earlier ones from this morning and they agitated me further.

 **I: Kagome, I'm sorry. Please call me.**

 **I: Kagome please call. Let me explain everything.**

 **I: Please, let me explain everything to you. Call me back. I don't want this to come between us.**

I was nearly exploding with rage. He was trying to explain away his assault on her. He was attempting to make excuses for nearly raping her in an alleyway. I was immediately furious with myself that I hadn't beheaded him on the spot when I'd seen him. He deserved a slow and torturous death, yet I'd let him get away mostly unharmed. Having enough of his bullshit, I took my phone out and screen shotted the texts and sent them to myself. I erased the evidence and placed her phone back on the nightstand where I'd found it.

I strode out of my room briskly, sent the screen shots of the texts to my father and put the kettle on the stove to boil. I snatched a book off the shelf in the living room. The book was an identical copy of the one in Kagome's apartment: Love Across the Era's. I didn't usually read anything that was romantic, but this particular set of poetry had struck a cord with me. My father had given it to me and ordered me to read it. I had wondered at his motives, but soon after starting the book, I stopped caring about them. The book made me nostalgic; it reminded me of the feudal era. I was nearly seven hundred years old and the feudal era had been my favorite time period. It had been a simpler time. Demons had roamed free and my family had been the highest ranking and strongest demons in all of Japan.

One particular set of poems had caught my eye when I'd read it. It was a collection of ten poems about a woman. The anonymous author had written about her beauty as he watched her. She would walk through fields of flowers during the full moon in a silver kimono. He'd watch her through the night and the verses were so vivd that every time I read it, I have flashes of memories. The images were more like an elusive dream sequence, than memories. I could see images of silver silk, onyx hair, and porcelain skin bathing in the moonlight. While reading the set of poems, my mind would be filled with countless images of a woman that was familiar, but that I couldn't place. It struck me odd that Kagome, an untrained human miko, would have a copy of the book by an unknown author. It also surprised me that it had obviously been read countless times. I'd noticed when I'd picked it up and opened it, that she'd bookmarked the section that contained my favorite set. The book had obviously been read over and over again. The binding was fraying, the pages were worn, and the scent of her favorite tea had lingered on the pages. It seemed she drank tea while reading the book. I'd noticed there were notes scribbled into the margins but she'd come back into the room before I'd been able to read them.

The kettle started whistling and I turned back to the kitchen to make tea. When I'd just finished pouring two cups, Kagome padded into the kitchen in just my T-Shirt and what appeared to be underwear. It was a tiny scrap of cloth and my attention was immediately diverted to her legs and ass. Her legs were luscious and long, and her skin looked like it would be as soft as silk. Her ass was perfectly rounded and it made my mouth water. She cleared her throat and I realized I was staring. I pushed her mug toward her and turned to the fridge. I yanked it open and stuck my head in.

"Are you hungry", my voice came out ragged and deep.

"Yes. Are you okay? You seem... riled up about something", her voice sounded curious and her lack of memory angered me.

She knew I was in heat and she either had forgotten, or was trying to gain something from appearing before me this way.

"I'm fine. But I would appreciate it if you'd put on some pants."

She glanced down to her bare legs and then up to me. I was standing at the fridge with my head tucked into the cool appliance, while my hands had a death grip on the handles and my shoulders were hiked up to my ears.

"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry. I forgot. Oh fuck", her voice was fading away and I could hear her footsteps retreating toward the bedroom.

When she was out of the kitchen I extricated my head from the fridge and dug through it to find something to eat. Finding some chicken and rice, I set out everything I needed to cook and started in on it. I focused on cooking like it was a life or death meal, screw it up and die. It was the best way to keep my thoughts off of the woman currently in my room. Her scent was everywhere and it was distracting me. She was already weaseling her way into my head and throwing me off balance. I either needed to get her away from me for good or I needed to make sure she stayed by my side forever.

The idea of having to convince her to stay by me made me nervous, and nervous was not a feeling I'd had since childhood. But the thought of never seeing her again made me uncomfortable. Her presence left me calm and her smile spread warmth throughout a room. I let my thoughts trail off as I finished making lunch. I put it onto plates and made my way to my room slowly. When I entered, she was sitting up against the headboard with her face buried in my book. Her face was serene and I could see she thoroughly enjoyed reading it. She was wearing a pair of my sweatpants and her top half was obscured by one of my sweatshirts. I relaxed a bit when I saw that she was fully covered and her tantalizing form was concealed from my view.

She kept reading, oblivious to my arrival and I watched her peacefully for a few minutes. Realizing her food would get cold, I cleared my throat to get her attention. She looked up and a deep blush grew and spread over her face.

"Food's ready", I said and turned to head back to the kitchen.

She padded into the kitchen behind me and sat at the breakfast bar. I handed her a fork and set her food in front of her. She started eating without a word. Her face lit up and she turned to me with a smile.

"This is wonderful. I didn't know you could cook. I shouldn't be surprised that you're good at cooking, is there anything you can't do?" She said it with a chuckle.

"No, I excel at most things. The only thing I haven't nailed down is conversing with people I don't understand."

She nodded with a glint of humor in her eyes. After that, we ate in silence and I stole glances at her every few minutes. She kept her eyes glued to her plate, unwilling to meet my gaze. She was still blushing and I found myself needing to know her thoughts. I kept my silence, though. I was never one to ask too many questions, and I'd be damned if I started now. When we'd finished and cleared our plates, she finally met my eyes again.

"I hope you don't mind that I read your book. I have the same one. It's my favorite."

I held her gaze, "I don't mind."

She glanced around nervously, then let out a large sigh, "I'm sorry about this morning. I forgot that you're...uhm... in heat. And I hadn't realized that I didn't have any pants on when I came out earlier. I didn't mean to... set you off."

"You didn't 'set me off'. As I said yesterday, I've got complete control of myself." It wasn't a complete lie, if she'd have 'set me off', I'd have taken her right then and there. Yet I hadn't, I'd maintained some semblance of my control.

A tiny smirk lit up her face, "Yes, I can see that."

Her voice sounded sarcastic but I brushed it off. If she knew how close I was to breaking my control earlier, she wouldn't be smiling about it now.

"How are your wounds?"

She glanced down at her shoulders and ran her fingers over the scabbed cuts from yesterday, "I'm fine. Nothing time won't heal. I thought I'd had a scratch on my face, but when I woke it wasn't there."

She looked at me curiously, like she knew I'd healed it. Which I had... but she had been asleep.

"I healed the one on your face. Figured you didn't want it to scar." My voice portrayed that it was no big deal, but her face said she was surprised.

"Oh.. thank you. You're right, I wouldn't like a big scar on my face. How did you heal it?"

Shit, I knew she was going to ask.

"My saliva has healing properties."

She double blinked at me, "So... you licked my face?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Okay. Well thank you." Her blush had spread like wildfire across her cheeks and her voice sounded nervous and slightly confused.

The _full_ truth was that I hadn't wanted her face to scar. It was a lovely face. It was soft and showed all her emotions and it bothered me to imagine her with a giant scar on her face that she got from Inuyasha. It wasn't a lie, though. I knew she wouldn't want a scar across her cheek. What girl would?

"Hn. I've been meaning to ask you, where did you get that book?"

She looked confused for a moment, but her face cleared and a small smile spread across her face, "Oh, your father gave it to me. He thought I would like it."

My original curiosity over my fathers intentions behind giving me the book multiplied tenfold. Why would he give us both the same book and not disclose his reasons? He was up to something, that much was obvious. I was attempting to form a response to her when her soft voice filled my ears. She'd turned to the window and was singing nervously.

She'd done it a few times before, mostly when she hadn't known I was around. She'd fiddle with her fingers and hum or sing whenever she got nervous. I'd seen her do it one time when she'd come to the mansion. She'd been waiting in the library for Inuyasha, looking out of the big window that faced the front drive way, but he'd apparently forgotten their date. I'd had my suspicions that he'd been of with his ex or some other girl behind her back and had simply forgotten about her. The thought had angered me at the time, and it still bothered me now. She'd stood at the window for nearly thirty minutes past when he'd said he would meet her there. Her singing had continued until she checked her phone for the time and sighed shakily. I could smell the salt of her tears and it had bothered me immensely that he had managed to make her cry without even being present. I'd been browsing a section of books trying to find any information I could about feudal era authors when her singing had started. Her voice was angelic and soft and it soothed my ears. Generally, human voices were piercing and painful, but her voice could lull me to sleep in mere minutes. I stood watching and listening to her sing until she stopped crying, I hadn't realized it initially but I had walked closer to her during her song. When she was done, I approached her, attempting to be obvious about my arrival. She noticed me immediately and hastily wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Do you know where your brother is," she spoke softly, her voice raw and filled with sadness.

"No. I do not. Do you want to keep waiting?"

She shook her head and glanced around nervously.

"I could take you home, if you want."

Her eyes had darted up to mine and a small, genuine smile had lifted her lips.

"That's okay. I drove. Thank you though, it's very sweet of you to offer."

"Hn."

She walked past me and out of the door. I followed her aura until I knew she'd be coming out the front door. I'd walked to the window and watched her retreat to her car. She didn't look to be crying again, but I could still feel sadness rolling off of her. I had always questioned why she'd ever date him. He wasn't any good for her. Not specifically because he was a hanyou, but because he was a shitty person who had no reservations about seeing multiple women at once without telling them.

As I remembered the occasion, it dawned on me that she was either worried or nervous, but I couldn't figure out why she was feeling this way now. She'd been comfortable in my presence for the past two days despite the circumstances that led to it. I kept thinking about it while I gazed at her profile. Her face was bunched in thought and there was a delicate V notched in her brow. She was tapping a foot and drumming her fingers on her opposite arms. She finally let out a sigh and turned toward me. I raised an eyebrow at her and she stopped fidgeting.

"I should probably go back to my apartment soon."

I shook my head once, "Tonight is the full moon. All the lunar demons heat will be amplified a hundred fold. You should remain here, where you're safe and hidden. Lock all the doors. And don't let anyone in. If you can manage it, you should erect a barrier outside of the door for protection."

She looked at me with curiosity, "You think we'll need a barrier? I'm sure you can handle anyone who would try to get in here."

"I will not be here. It would be... unwise. I'm a lunar demon as well."

She scoffed a bit, as if the idea of me being a threat to her was laughable.

"I _highly_ doubt that you'd break your control. You're not a threat-", she broke off with a stunned gasp. In less then a second I'd pushed her up against the window and caged her in with my arms planted on either side of her face and pressed my front along hers. I ran my nose from her collar bone to her jugular, drawing in her mouthwatering scent and scraped the flesh gently with an elongated fang. Her breathing hitched and I wanted to snarl in pleasure at her response. My body ground against hers without my brain's permission.

"Do not forget _who I am_ , Miko. I am the most dangerous threat to you", with that I released her and strode off to the bathroom to shower and recompose myself.

* * *

I stood rooted to the same spot for approximately five minutes. My heart was thundering in my chest, beating frantically against my ribs like it was trying to escape. My breathing was ragged and I was warm all over. A heated blush covered my chest and face. To my surprise, I was highly aroused by his warning and the feel of his body against mine. What had really set me alight was his deep voice in my ear, the feel of his well muscled frame against mine, and the feel of his fang at my throat. Five minutes ago the idea of Sesshomaru wanting me in any way shape or form had been laughable. I was a mere human and he was a Taiyokai of considerable strength and heritage. He'd quickly set fire to my original beliefs when he'd pushed me up against the window and ground his body against mine.

My obvious arousal had me confused. No male had ever turned me on so fast. Inuyasha had been very good looking and charming and I'd considered giving him my virginity, but it had taken nearly five months of talking, flirting and innocent kisses for me to even consider it. I'd known he'd been with quite a few women, though, and we fought all the time, and he treated me so poorly, so I'd been waiting. We'd only been dating for six months and he had been asking more and more often if I was 'ready' and I'd kept telling him I'd wanted to wait. I had feared that if I had given in to him that he'd leave me once the challenge of sleeping with me was gone. It had never crossed my mind that he'd try to force himself on me, and the revelation that he'd done it before had made me nauseous. I could almost sympathize with Inuyasha's inability to control himself. I had a _very_ difficult time controlling my miko powers and had nearly killed a few unsuspecting demons that had startled me, but I'd never damaged anyone before and I'd taken extreme caution with my abilities since I had realized how little control I had. I had been thinking continuously for the past two day's why Inuyasha hadn't worked out a system for being in heat. If he knew he was going into heat, why didn't he make sure he was in a safe environment free from anyone that he could harm? If he was aware of his lack of control, why hadn't he taken measures to prevent himself from hurting anyone? And why hadn't he warned me?

All of those circumstances considered, my brain wandered to Sesshomaru. He was drop dead gorgeous. His hair was flawless and looked like silk. I was sure if I ever got to touch it, it would be luxuriously soft. The stripes that adorned his face were beautiful and I felt the desperate need to trace them with my fingers. His eyes were penetrating and held all of his emotions. People thought he was the ice prince, but if they looked into his eyes, I was sure they'd see what I did. His eyes were filled to the brim with emotions, though his face stayed carefully blank. He was well muscled and had endless manners. The only thing that was against him was his ability to lock people out. He was very private and it seemed as if he liked it that way. That being said, he'd never been rude to me. He'd been protective and chivalrous. He'd kindly allowed me to stay in his home and he fed me and kept me safe.

My mind strayed to the full moon tonight. I had the distinct feeling that if Sesshomaru did in fact approach me tonight, that I'd have a difficult time saying no. He was thoughtful and protective and absolutely gorgeous. He wasn't kind, necessarily, but he was thoughtful; always making me tea, getting me food and letting me wear his clothes. But the nagging feeling that he'd never been interested in me before he went into heat wouldn't leave me be. He'd barely even glanced at me besides the time in the library a few months ago when he'd offered to drive me home. The only interest he had in me must be stemming from the full moon and the heat. Surely his interest would wane once he wasn't in heat anymore.

My thoughts screeched to a halt when I heard his shower turn on. Immediately my thoughts were in the gutter and my mind was imagining every single inch of him under the hot water. My mouth went dry and heat started to pool low in my belly again. Deciding I'd had enough torture for one day, I shook my head and went back into the kitchen to make tea. My game plan was that as soon as he went into his room for clothes, I'd sprint for the bathroom to take the shower for myself. I sipped on my tea and waited until I heard the shower turn off. I downed the rest of it and set the cup in the sink. Tiptoeing toward the hallway, I peaked around the corner and saw him walk into his bedroom. He looked downright delicious in only a towel, but I shook my head to clear the thoughts and ran to the bathroom. Shutting myself inside, I leaned back against the door and let out a shaky breath.

A quiet chuckle sounded from behind me and his deep voice resounded through the door and into my ears, "Not a very good escape route, Miko." His voice sent tingles down my spine and I jumped out of my skin when I realized he'd caught me sneaking around.

"I wasn't escaping. I was trying to get a shower." My wavering voice didn't even convince me, let alone him.

He grunted and a sound that was close to laughter filtered into my ears. I heard his feet pad away and I flipped the lock and started to peel myself out of his clothes. I loved wearing his clothes. His smell was all over them and they were soft and made me feel safe, like I was surrounded by him. I was a little miffed to take them off but I knew I needed to shower and get the blood off of me. I turned the shower on and climbed in. The hot water fell over me in waves and I was eternally grateful that Sesshomaru had one of those insanely expensive shower heads. I began scrubbing my arms and my back, attempting to clean all the blood off. I looked to the floor and saw that there was a lot of blood circling the drain. I reached around to my shoulder and found a deep gash that I hadn't seen before. It had started to heal, but my sprinting-to-the-bathroom-antics had reopened it and now it was bleeding freely down my back. It stung as the water poured over it. I cleaned the rest of my body and got out quickly. Just as I finished wrapping myself in a towel, a small knock sounded at the door.

"Are you okay? I smell blood."

"I'm fine. Actually... I could use your help. If you don't mind."

I turned to the door and flipped the lock and opened the door a few inches. His eyes took me in and a tinge of red rimmed his eyes. I turned around and showed him the cut and I heard a quiet, angry growl. He must have walked closer to me because when he grasped me around the waist with one hand, and gripped my arm gently with the other, I nearly jumped out of my skin. His hands radiated warmth into me and I relaxed at the feel of him.

He cleared his throat, "You want me to... to heal it? Like I did with the one on your face?"

"Would you? I can't get it to stop bleeding."

He cleared his throat again, "Sure."

A few seconds passed and I thought that he might change his mind, but then I felt his tongue trail over the gash. It stung a bit, but he went back over it a few times and eventually the skin cooled and the pain receded. When I thought he was done, he gripped my waist tighter and pulled me closer to him. He lowered his lips to what was most likely a scar now, and pressed them gently over the line. He trailed a path down the scar, and back up again. My breathing went ragged and heat flowed through me. I fought off the urge to moan, and gripped the sink tighter. Arousal was raging through me and I was fighting to control myself. All I wanted to do was throw myself at him, but I still didn't know if he'd been interested in me prior to going into heat. I didn't want to be a toss away girl that he only had sex with when he was in heat.

His lips left my skin and he slowly dropped his hands. He cleared his throat and when he spoke his voice was deep and heated, "This is exactly why I shouldn't be here tonight. I'm going to the store. I need to get some things so that you can eat while I'm gone. I left my number on the kitchen table. Text me with any grocery requests."

He kissed the back of my neck then fled the bathroom. I heard his keys jingle, then the door open and close. The moment it closed my legs gave out and I collapsed on the floor in a pool of sexual frustration and desire. This overbearing, protective, sexy man was going to be the death of me.


	4. Chapter 4: Down the Rabbit Hole

Hey! I'm back! Sorry for taking so long to update. This chapter is longer, to atone for my absence! I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave me a comment and any questions or suggestions are _always welcome!_

 _-KJ_

Disclaimer: **I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

Sesshomaru scolded himself as he strode toward his car. He'd willingly succumbed to her scent and the sight of her pale skin. She'd only asked for him to heal her wound, but instead he'd groped and kissed her.

 _Idiot._

He growled internally. He needed to get control of himself, but with night coming nearer every second, his control was waning. He needed to get away from her, and fast.

As he climbed into his car his phone pinged with a message. It was Kagome asking for a few things from the grocery store. As he made his way toward the store, he pondered over his obsession with the miko. She'd burrowed under his skin and he felt he was slowly losing his mind. Even being away from her for this short period of time was difficult for him. He wanted to be near her constantly. She was extremely accident prone as well, who knew if she could be safe on her own? She might set the entire condo on fire while he was gone for less than twenty minutes. The thought made his eyes narrow and his hands tighten on the steering wheel. Becoming uneasy, he stepped on the gas and raced toward his destination.

While Sesshomaru was gone, Kagome sat in his living room, fretting constantly. She had made more tea and attempted to calm her nerves. She was flushed and aroused and couldn't get the feel of his tongue on her skin out of her mind. She finally pushed the thoughts away and settled in with the book. As she began to read, images of silver hair and a white kimono flitted through her mind. She could practically feel the silkiness of the silver hair on her neck and shoulders as the mystery man surrounded her. Her nerves started to fray again and she felt as if she was reading about her and Sesshomaru. The thought sent lightning through her veins and made her tingle from her head to her toes. She dropped the book with a frustrated groan.

Trying to distract herself from her wanton thoughts, she stood and made her way toward the front door. She noticed that it had a decent lock, but she wasn't sure that it could withstand an angry demon on a mission. She began to worry about tonight. If the demons were going to be as riled up as Sesshoumaru thought, she might need reinforcements.

Taking out her phone she dialed her mother. She answered on the second ring.

"Kagome? Are you alright darling? I haven't heard from you in a few days."

"I'm okay mama. I've just been busy." She tried to sound as bland as possible. The idea of telling the entire ordeal with Inuyasha to her mother seemed like she was begging for a lecture or an 'I told you so'.

Her mother thought it was entirely inappropriate for her to be seeing a half demon. She thought Inuyasha had been a brash and disrespectful boy, not to mention dangerous. As a miko herself, she thought it was wrong for Kagome to be consorting with a demon.

"I heard that tonight's a full moon, and I also found out that the demons are in heat right now. I was wondering if I could come pick up some sutra's and a few binding and protection spells."

"Of course dear. You should protect yourself as much as possible. Speaking of demons, are you worried about Inuyasha? Is that why you need protective spells?"

Kagome rolled her eyes but kept her voice as clear and gentle as possible, "Not at all, I just want them in case I should need them. You can never be too careful."

"Okay, Kagome. When would you like to come by?" Her mother's voice sounded skeptical.

"I'll be by in a few hours. I'll see you then. Bye mama. I love you."

"I love you too, Kagome."

With that the two hung up. Kagome took a few moments to send a text to Sango, letting her know that she was okay. As she was setting her phone back down, she heard keys in the door.

She looked up to see Sesshomaru coming in with a few bags in his hand. He made his way into the kitchen without acknowledging her. She rolled her eyes, knowing that he'd avoid her as long as possible after their little bathroom encounter. She got off the couch and followed him into the kitchen.

"Would you mind if we stopped by my mothers shrine? She's a miko and I wanted to get a few sutras and spells for tonight. Just in case."

He looked up from where he'd been rummaging in the bags. He stared at her curiously and tilted his head. Kagome fought back a giggle. He looked like a puppy when he tilted his head with that curious look on his face. She schooled her features and waited for him to respond. It was more difficult for her to keep herself together then she thought it would be. He continued to stare at her with his head cocked to the side. He could smell the amusement that she was feeling. He didn't see why she'd be amused right now.

"That sounds like an excellent idea. Do you want to go now?"

She looked at the groceries in front of him with a pointed look and he finished putting everything away. He raised an eyebrow at her and jingled his keys. She nodded and walked off to the bedroom to change. She walked back out looking disappointed and wearing the same clothes as before.

Before she could say the obvious, he did, "You need more clothes."

She sighed and nodded.

"Is your apartment on the way?"

She nodded and he turned and headed toward the door. She heard him mumbling quietly to himself and she padded quietly closer to hear him.

"..stock my entire damn apartment with your clothes at this rate."

His words, in context, were meant to be demeaning, but Kagome thought she heard a tenderness in his voice. She blushed slightly at the idea of moving some of her possessions into his apartment.

She padded after him quietly while he strode toward his car gracefully. _This is becoming a daily ritual,_ Kagome thought wryly as she climbed into the car. The first few minutes went by in silence, he didn't speak to her but she could see he was white knuckling the steering wheel. She gave a pointed glance to his death grip on the undeserving object. He sighed, loosened his grip and took a deep breath.

A mistake. Her scent filled his nostrils and his need ramped up a few hundred degrees. His tight grip resumed and he punched the buttons on the dash, silently praying for a distraction from the temptation she presented to him. Soft music began to play over the car stereo. Kagome's eyebrows shot toward the sky when she noted that it was _Clair de Lune_. Kagome was surprised that he was listening to calm, classical music. It didn't seem like the type of music he'd listen to, but as she continued thinking about him, she could see why it would appeal to him. It was beautiful to hear when it was played perfectly and anything that was better with perfection drew Sesshomaru's interest. She smiled softly. This was her favorite piece of music.

"Sesshomaru..", she saw him stiffen at the sound of her voice, "did you know that this is my favorite piece?"

She watched him covertly, looking for signs of emotion. To her, it seemed he was weighing what he was about to say with life or death cautiousness. His eyes narrowed and his grip tightened further. His mouth hitched in a barely perceptible scowl and he let out a small huff before responding.

"Actually, I did."

Her eyes widened, and she tried to remember if she had mentioned it within his hearing. She'd told Toga, and he'd looked highly amused by the fact, though he wouldn't tell her exactly what had amused him.

"How did you know? I never told you."

"You told my father. He thought it was rather curious that it happened to be my favorite classical piece as well."

She stared at him, openly now, and he glanced askance at her. Her eyes took him in. She hadn't noticed earlier, but now she realized he was wearing a casual suit that was the darkest color of navy blue she'd ever seen. It was the color of midnight and his silver hair was luminescent against it. It flowed around his shoulders and down his back gently. She took in the features of his face, so striking and sharp. He had cheekbones that could cut glass and the amber of his eyes were striking against the ivory of his skin. He was positively breathtaking. _Someone should make a sculpture of him, or paint him_ , she thought in awe.

"I wasn't aware that it was your favorite as well. Your father never mentioned it."

Sesshomaru noted immediately the change in her voice. It was lower and breathless. Her scent had altered as well. The scent of honey and roses consumed him, and he knew immediately that she was aroused. She cleared her throat and squirmed a bit in her seat. Scarlet blush was running rampant across her face and she was squeezing her thighs together. The action was to shove down her need, no doubt, but all she succeeded in doing was filling the car with her scent and making Sesshomaru crazy with need.

He rolled his window down and turned the air conditioning on to high. He kept his eyes on the road for the last few minutes of the drive while Kagome continued to fidget in her seat. Finally the movement became too overwhelming for Sesshomaru to stand, he reached a hand out to still her, settling it on her thigh, just above her knee. He heard her gasp at the touch and a fresh wave of her arousal filled the air.

He snatched his hand back with demon speed and replaced it on the steering wheel. It had worked, she'd stopped moving, but her color was brighter than he'd seen it before and he was raging with need. He was grateful for the suit jacket he had on, it hid his rampant arousal from Kagome's view. As he pulled into the parking lot, Kagome's nerves began to take over as she considered if Inuyasha would dare to be waiting for her there. He noted immediately the change in her. Her body stiffened and he could smell the anxiety rolling off of her. He parked, got out, and was at her side in less then a second. He opened the door and put his hand out to her. She took it tentatively and climbed out of the car. When he released her hand, she felt like it was on fire. Everywhere he touched left a blazing trail of heat and need on her skin. It was beginning to get a bit ludicrous. She was a grown ass woman, and she was reduced to a trembling heap of hormones around Sesshomaru.

She saw Sesshomaru's body stiffen and she froze, "What is it? Is he here?"

His eyes darted around the parking lot and toward Kagome's apartment.

"He was. His scent has waned a bit, I don't think he's still here, but his scent is _everywhere,_ Kagome. He must have been waiting for you for quite a long time."

She flushed at hearing her name on his lips, sounding erotic with his silken voice.

He couldn't decide how he felt about the situation. On the one hand, he was highly pleased that while Inuyasha had been here, waiting for Kagome like a beaten dog, she'd been with him at his apartment, in his shower, and sleeping in his bed. On the other hand, that fucking mongrel had been stalking her, waiting around for her to show up unsuspecting and be attacked. The thought made fury simmer in his veins.

He grabbed her hand and tugged her behind him, "Follow me. Don't try to go anywhere without me. He might still be here. I'm not making that particular mistake again."

She followed him silently, partially pleased with him being protective over her, and partially frozen in fear at the idea of seeing Inuyasha again.

They came to the door of her apartment and she went to hand him her key. Before she had the chance he pushed the door open with one finger. She blanched and peered around him. The door had nearly been taken off its hinges. The lock was broken and the door had claw marks down the front. Anger and fear raged through her in equal parts at the sight.

He pushed the door all the way open and stepped inside. Kagome saw him scent the air and followed him. He walked through the apartment and into each room checking to make sure no one was there. Kagome stood rooted in her living room. The entire room was torn apart. The couches were slit open and the stuffing had been ripped out. All her books had been knocked from the shelf. She noted, gratefully, that at least he hadn't ripped the pages out of her books. She noticed that her copy of _Love Across the Era's_ was missing. He'd taken her favorite book. Tears filled her eyes, but she tried not to let them fall as she glanced around the room at the havoc Inuyasha had wrought. She was dimly aware of Sesshomaru coming back into the room and standing beside her. After what felt like eternity he put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to him. His eyes held affection, though his face was blank. She stared into his eyes and realized that he was talking.

"...won't like this. He did serious damage to your room. If you want, I can help you find a new place to live. Somewhere he can't find you."

He paused, and it seemed like he was waiting for her to speak. Words clogged in her throat.

"Thank you", she choked out, "He took my book... _the_ book."

His eyes narrowed, "I think my father has another copy. We'll get you a new one."

She nodded and he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the bedroom. Her eyes widened at the state it was in. The pillows had been torn and strewn around the room. Her drawers had been emptied and she saw that all of the clothes that had been in the dresser were on the floor. She noticed that many pairs of her panties were either torn or missing. There were a few pairs that hadn't been damaged and she reached for them. She picked them up and turned toward the closet. As she walked, she felt crunching under her feet. She looked down to find all of her picture frames in pieces on the floor. The pictures, mostly of her and her family, had all been torn to pieces. There were a few of her and sango that were also torn to shreds. Anger was building in her slowly and she noticed that her vision was blurring with unshed tears again. Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see Sesshomaru staring down at her.

"I realize that this is difficult, Kagome. But you need to calm down a little. Your aura is dangerous. If there's a demon within a hundred feet of here, you're going to incinerate them."

At first, his suggestion that she needed to 'calm down', made her angrier, but as she thought of her neighbors, she realized a few of them were demons. They'd been nothing but nice to her, and he was right. She couldn't go around torching innocent demons. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt herself calming, and with it, she felt a warm power flow into her. When she felt it was all contained, she opened her eyes again to see Sesshomaru staring at her in wonder. She turned to the closet and began rifling through her clothes, thanking the kamis as she went. Apparently Inuyasha had missed her closet when he was on his war path. She jumped a little at the sound of Sesshomaru's voice, she'd nearly forgotten he was there.

"You don't like being told to calm down, do you? I can't say I disagree with the notion. I'm not particularly fond of taking orders."

She realized that he was trying to distract her from the situation. An involuntary smile spread across her face at his statement, "Does any woman enjoy being told to calm down?"

A deep huffing noise came from him, and she realized it was laughter, "Good point."

"Though, I do have to thank you for recalling me to sanity. I didn't realize I was dangerous to anyone."

"You are. A lesser demon than I would have combusted the moment we walked in here. Though your power is raw and untrained, it's a force to be reckoned with. But with my age and power, it only singed me a bit."

She turned to look at him and saw that he'd rolled his shirtsleeve up. He was indeed singed. He had a few mild, red burns covering his forearms. Kagome's eyes widened and guilt tore through her.

"Oh, Sesshomaru, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I've got salve for that, at my mother's shrine. Oh lord, I'm sorry-".

He cut her off with a sardonic chuckle, "You didn't hurt me, these will heal in a matter of minutes. Not to worry, miko. I'm not a weakling."

She searched his eyes and knew he was being truthful to her. She sighed and turned back to gathering clothes, but he caught the worry in her eyes before they were out of view. He nearly rolled his eyes at her before he caught himself and turned to the rest of the room.

Seeing the damage that Inuyasha had done, anger rolled through him steadily. He wanted to maim Inuyasha. He wanted to tear him limb from limb. A thought occurred to him and he turned to leave the room.

"I'm going to make a phone call." She called out some sort of affirmation but it was muffled due to her rifling through the closet. He walked into the living room and pulled out his phone and dialed his father. He picked up on the second ring.

" _Son. Calling me again so soon. What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this pleasure?"_

"Not a pleasure, unfortunately. I've brought Kagome to pick up her clothes. It seems Inuyasha had come to look for her, and in her absence, he tore her apartment to shreds."

Silence came through the phone before Sesshomaru heard an angry growl, " _That boy needs some sense beat into him. What's the matter with him, when did he become such a nuisance? Tell Kagome that I will pay for a new apartment and everything in it. She'll try to wriggle out of it, but make it crystal clear to her that there will be no negotiating. I will pamper her if I want to dammit."_

"Will do. She also needs another copy of that book you gave her. Inuyasha stole it."

Silence again, but longer this time before Toga cursed through the phone. Sesshomaru knew his father was hiding something concerning the book, and he intended to find out just what exactly that something was.

"We are going to have a discussion about what exactly that fucking book is."

His father chuckled heartily through the phone, " _I've been waiting for you to bring it up. When you get the chance, come up to the estate and we will talk about it._ "

"Where is he", Sesshomaru tried to sound relaxed and unaffected. He failed miserably and it game out as a growl. He expected his father to laugh and tell him that Inuyasha was beyond his reach and he'd punish him as he saw fit, but the silence that fell over them unnerved Sesshomaru.

" _I don't know. He ran off last night. I'll find him, you take care of Kagome. The full moon is tonight. Be careful with her. Protect her. If one hair on her head is hurt, I will personally find some way to punish you."_ His father sounded far from pleased. In fact, he sounded positively murderous.

Sesshomaru hung up without answering. He was well aware that the full moon was encroaching and the dangers that it possessed to Kagome. If he, the prince of the Inu tribe, who was well known for his superior control, was a hair's breadth away from losing his shit because of this girl, then all the demons less powerful than him would be practically ravenous and savage at the idea of having her. The idea enraged him.

He shook off his emotions and turned toward the bedroom. He found Kagome in the closet, rifling through her things. She'd changed into a pair of dark blue shorts, a cream colored tank top and a pair of sandals. She looked positively ravishing.

She'd been throwing items into a small suitcase and she turned to look at him.

"Do you mind if I bring a bag of things?"

He shook his head and she smiled brilliantly at him.

"I spoke to my father", her shoulders slumped a bit and she turned her head back to look at him. "He's going to pay for a new apartment and all of your belongings. And don't even think about arguing, he's made it clear it's non-negotiable." The last came as he saw her about to disagree. She sighed and chuckled, "Stubborn man. Fine. I'll let him pamper me. Just this once."

She began to stand and he looked at the suitcase, packed meagerly.

"Are you ready? Is that all you're bringing?"

She looked up at him, "It's really all I have left. What's left either doesn't fit, or was torn to shreds." Her face was clouded with misery, and Sesshomaru felt an overwhelming need to comfort her. His entire body stiffened at the thought. _I really need to get myself together._

He turned and strode from the room. She stopped to grab a few books from the living room floor and shoved them into her suitcase.

"We can come back for the rest or hire someone to grab what's not ruined."

She nodded and followed him out of the apartment and down to his car. She was being abnormally quiet and withdrawn. Sesshomaru realized she must be feeling weary of all the change. First her boyfriend tries to rape and kill her, causing her to stay with a virtual stranger, then she finds her home and belongings have been destroyed. Sesshomaru knew that if he was in her place, he'd be seeing red and out for blood. He was already out for blood and it wasn't because it was happening to him, but because it was happening to someone that was, for all intents and purposes, _his_. Sesshomaru's beast had been howling at him for days that Kagome was his woman, his mate. But he'd been fighting it the best he could. With him being in heat and the full moon drawing ever-closer, it was getting more difficult to deny his feelings for Kagome.

He opened the car door for her and let her in, then walked to his side and climbed in. As he started the car, he looked to her and noticed her hands balled in her lap. She was still feeling distraught. He could smell it coming off her.

"Where to?"

"Do you know the shrine northwest of town?"

"Yes. It's legendary. It's been manned by a long line of the most powerful priests and miko's for nearly five hundred years. That's your family?"

She looked embarrassed and humbled at the statement, "Yes. That's me. Priestess freak and prodigal daughter."

Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and her brows were puckered. It was cute. He wanted to kiss the angry V between her brows. He shook his head and started to drive.

"You don't want to be a priestess then?"

She glanced at him alertly, then she realized his voice held no judgment, just mild curiosity.

"I do want to be one, but I never agreed with my mother's sentiments towards demons. She wanted me to learn everything so that I could put it to use toward purifying demons. I didn't agree with her. Not all demons are evil. She believes that they will turn on us one day. I know that if evil demons gain a lot of power, they'll try to make a power play and take over humanity again and we'll go back hundreds of years in progress. We live harmoniously. Mostly. I know that there are evil demons who would try to kill every human on this island. But I also know demons who are good, and kind. I don't think we should hate all demons. Just be prepared to fight the evil ones. I refused her training because I didn't want to be a weapon. I possess considerable power. My mother believes that if I'm trained properly I could have the power to destroy every demon in Japan."

As Sesshomaru let that sink in, he began to realize that she had a healthy amount of personality and will. He'd always thought she was a bit weak willed, but now he was seeing that she had a considerable amount of back bone. If she had ample training in combat, she would be a force to be reckoned with.

"I don't know if you have that much power", he began, almost gently, "but I do know you have a wealth of untapped potential. I could train you in combat, and you could learn how to control your power from another miko. It might help to stabilize your power and keep you from killing people on accident."

She was stunned. He was willing to train her in combat? She knew that anyone else would kill for the opportunity to be trained by the killing perfection.

"Would you? I would love that. When can we start?"

Her excitement was a succulent perfume that made him want to smile. _Smile._

"Tomorrow, if you like."

The car fell silent as Kagome let scenarios run through her head and as she thought of miko's that would be willing to train her. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was contemplating his feelings for the vivacious miko. She was a tornado to him. She'd torn through his perfectly constructed walls and exterior and permeated into his bones. She'd uprooted him entirely and was bringing out things in him, that he hadn't thought himself capable of. It was startling to feel anything other than annoyance and anger, which were his usual emotions. She was changing him, or unveiling a side of him that he hadn't used or shown in decades. A familiar rumbling of emotion tore through him, but he couldn't place when he'd felt it before. An image flashed through his mind, shimmering ebony hair on porcelain skin.

He shook his head and focused on the road. He realized they were already there. He pulled over in front of the steps that led to the shrine and parked. He turned to look at her and noticed she was fidgeting with her hands again. He reached out and grasped her hands in one of his own. She stopped immediately. He felt her touch like a lightning bolt to his chest and groin. He released her hands, noticing that her face was blazing crimson again.

"Like I said, my mother isn't fond of demons, so I guess… just, be polite? She will probably be kind to you if you're gentlemanly. So I guess, just act like you normally do, but without the cold facade."

He raised one perfect eyebrow at her, noting that she was rambling. Inside, though, he was uneasy. She hit the nail on the head. He was polite because that's how he was raised, but he approached everyone, and everything, with the exception of her, apparently, with a cool exterior. She'd only been around him for a matter of days, and she already knew that he wasn't cold and dispassionate, as so many assumed, but that it was merely a wall, tactically placed so that no one dared to challenge him, to keep people on their toes, and to keep people away from him. He had no need for people to understand him in any way. Yet this small woman did. It unnerved him to think she was starting to know him, to understand him.

He nodded at her, got out, and went around to her door to let her out. As they climbed the stairs together, he felt her aura whip about nervously. She was getting worked up again. Her powers were whipping about dangerously, in a little magenta tornado, and nearly singeing him again. He cleared his throat and looked at her pointedly.

She reigned it in and laughed softly, "Sorry."

As they reached the top of the steps, Sesshomaru noticed the air was purer. He looked around and saw the shrine, a house, and a medium sized building. As he studied the building, a shiver went down his spine. All his senses were telling him that there was something different about the building. Not dangerous, necessarily, but there was power there. He wondered what it could be and made a mental note to ask Kagome about it before they left.

As they neared the house, they walked past an enormous tree, and Sesshomaru looked at it curiously. It was familiar to him, but he couldn't figure out why. There was a deep scar in the tree, from damage done long ago. Sesshomaru felt that the scar was significant, but he couldn't say why.

Frustration shot through him. So many questions. So many odd happenings around this girl, and he couldn't figure out why.

His train of thoughts scattered as he heard a door opening nearby. He turned his head toward the house to see a woman. She was dressed in a traditional miko outfit and was holding a staff in her hand. He cleared his face and tried to look harmless. He heard Kagome giggle next to him. Apparently his efforts were for naught, and she thought it was amusing. He brought his gaze back to her mother, and noticed that the staff she was carrying was vibrating with power. It wouldn't kill or maim him, but it would probably hurt like hell, if she attacked him.

Seeing her mother raise the staff, Kagome intervened, "Mom, this is Sesshomaru Taisho. He came with me to pick up some things. He's training me in combat."

Sesshomaru could tell that Kagome was using the combat training as an excuse to soften her mother toward him, but it irritated him to be reduced to her trainer. She'd spent the past few nights in his bed, damn it all.

"You're Inuyasha's brother aren't you. Can't say I'll be more fond of you then that ignorant child."

A small smile grew on his face. She was as fiery as Kagome.

"I can't say I blame you. That boy needs to learn some manners."

Her face softened, as she realized that he didn't like his brother either.

"Kagome's been dating that boy for months. Apparently there's no accounting for taste."

Surprise registered on Sesshomaru's face momentarily before it was gone again.

 _She hadn't told her mother yet, what had happened._

She waved them into the house and they followed her into the kitchen where she had tea waiting. She poured three cups and gestured for them to sit.

"Mom, I've been meaning to tell you, Inuyasha and I broke up."

Her mother looked pleased, and Sesshomaru felt warmth spread through him, knowing she no longer wanted Inuyasha.

"Good."

They sat and drank tea and the two women chatted idly, catching up. Sesshomaru sat silently and watched Kagome, drinking in every one of her movements. Sesshomaru realized after a while that Kagome's mother had been stealing glances at him. As he turned to her, he saw her eyes flit between him and her daughter. Obviously she wanted to know what was going on between them, because she wasn't buying that he was just training her. She'd caught him staring at Kagome, and the way he was looking at her wasn't as a pupil. It was with tenderness and affection. She considered what she knew of the man; he was well known for being ruthless, cold and doing anything to obtain what he wanted. But seeing him in front of her, she thought that the rumors hadn't mentioned the softness in his gaze. He had stared openly at Kagome with obvious affection.

Kagome's voice broke through her thoughts, "Mama, could I get those wards and ingredients now?"

"Absolutely, tell me what you need."

As the two women stood and began conversing over the protective spells and enchantments Kagome wanted, Sesshomaru followed Kagome's scent through the house and up the stairs. He opened the door to find a bedroom. It was feminine and it was positively drenched in her scent. He stared at the surroundings. There were photos of her as a teenager with other girls and books covered every flat surface. There were a few drawings tacked on the walls and Sesshomaru realized that she was a talented artist. He hadn't seen any drawings in her apartment, though.

He found a sketchbook on the nightstand and began to thumb through it. There were many drawings of landscapes but as he got further into it, he found detailed drawings of a man. It was him. She'd gotten the eyes right every time. He noticed that some of the details about himself that he'd never noticed were highlighted, and he wondered if that's how she saw him.

 _What are you doing, drawing me, miko?_

He looked at the bottom of all of the drawings of him, searching for the dates. They were all dated prior to her dating Inuyasha. A few years prior, actually. _What in the hell? How did she draw me, if she had never met me? More questions…_

Feeling a bit unnerved, Sesshomaru put the sketch book back and went back to the kitchen. Kagome and her mother were standing and chatting and Kagome had a backpack that looked full.

"All set?"

They turned to look at him and he saw that Kagome's mom had a sly, knowing grin on her face. Kagome nodded and gave her mom a hug and a kiss, then they said their goodbyes and headed for the door. Noticing the building again, Sesshomaru walked toward it. He didn't turn to see if Kagome had followed, he knew that she would.

"My mother seemed to like you, surprisingly."  
He turned and raised an eyebrow at her.

She laughed, "Surprising because you're a demon, not because of who you are."

A smile stayed on her face and Sesshomaru thought he'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

"I gathered that too, though I'm not sure why."

He came to stop in front of the building and pointed at it, "What is this, Kagome?"

Her eyes widened and she looked up at him, "It's the well house. An ancient dry well is inside. We use the building for storage, mostly. Magical items, herbs and ingredients. Why do you ask?"

"There's a strange power coming from inside."

She looked at him dubiously, "Do you want to go inside? I've never known it to be magical, it may just be from all of the magical items in here."

She reached for the door and swung it open. She went inside and Sesshomaru followed. The moment he crossed the threshold, power whirled around them. Whatever it was, caused his remaining control to snap. He reached out and snatched Kagome's hand. He pushed her up against the wall, gathered her into his arms and lifted her in the air. She gasped and wrapped her legs around him. He groaned and bent his head to hers.

The moment their mouths touched, his thoughts turned into anarchy. He couldn't place all the emotions swelling through him. Their mouths fused together and his tongue ventured into her mouth. She moaned softly and the sound was a symphony to Sesshomaru's ears. Her arms went around his neck and she threaded her hands into his shining silver locks. He gripped her hips tight in his palms and ground against her. Their mouths clashed and played. He searched her with his tongue, learning every inch of her that he could. Her blunt fingernails scraped his scalp and he growled in pleasure. He broke off from the kiss and bent his head to nip at her collarbone and neck. His tongue darted out and Kagome shivered from the pleasure. She was positively purring at him. It drove his need to new heights. He brought his mouth back to hers and she responded fervently. She pulled him closer and delved her tongue into his mouth, licking and exploring.

In a flash, Sesshomaru had torn his mouth away, set her down, and was standing five feet away. Kagome looked at him incredulously. He'd kissed her. Ravished her, and she'd loved every second. But why had he pulled away?

"I'm sorry Sesshomaru. I don't know what came over me."

He kept his gaze away from her and she saw he was struggling to control himself. After a few minutes his breathing returned to normal and he turned to her.

"It's not for you to apologize, but I. I have no idea why I…"

"Mauled me?" She supplied cheerfully in her sing song voice.

A smile flitted across his face.

"Yes, for lack of a better term. I shouldn't have, especially so soon after what happened to you."

Her pleasure dimmed at the mention of Inuyasha assaulting her. She turned and sat on the well and watched Sesshomaru as he began to walk around the small space of the well house.

"I'm not sorry." Her voice was whisper soft, and he knew if he wasn't a demon, he wouldn't have been able to hear her. She spoke again, even softer, and his ears strained to hear her.

"I enjoyed it."

His entire body radiated with heat and need as her words sunk in. When he didn't respond, she tried to fill the silence.

"I used to come in here all the time. I would draw or read. This place has always been soothing for me. Five years ago, when I turned eighteen and moved out, was the last time I was in here. I don't come home often. My mother and I fought a lot about me being a miko."

He nodded, knowing she didn't like to talk about it.

Suddenly, he felt power radiating throughout the room and it felt similar to Kagome's. He turned to look at her, fully alert, and his heart stuttered in his chest.

Kagome was glowing. The light emanated out from her chest and seemed to flow into the well. He drew closer to her slowly, but as he reached out to her, her power swelled up and pushed him back.

"Sesshomaru, what-", She broke off with a gasp.

He watched as the powerful aura recoiled from him and into Kagome, knocking her down into the well. A resounding shockwave of blue light raced through the room. He ran to the well and peered inside, expecting to see Kagome crumpled at the bottom, but she was gone. The well was empty and her scent was gone.

* * *

Things are going to start getting weird! Be ready for more twists and turns to come! Feel free to leave a comment! Questions and suggestions are ALWAYS WELCOME!

-KJ


	5. Chapter 5: Time Took Me

Here's the next chapter everyone! As always, enjoy!

comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome.

 _-KJ_

 **DISCLAIMER: _I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!_**

* * *

Wind rushed around her and she felt the familiar falling sensation. A blue and pink light flowed and surged around her. After what felt like minutes she landed abruptly on the ground at the bottom of the well with a yelp.

"What in the hell", she raised her voice to call out for Sesshomaru, "Sesshomaru, can you get me out of this well?"

She waited for him to come get her and took inventory of her body. She was a little sore, but nothing was broken or seriously damaged. As she was about to call out for him again, her ears started to register the sounds she was hearing. A symphony of wildlife greeted her; chirping birds and a soft whisper of wind. Her head snapped up to look at what should have been the ceiling of the well house. She gasped as she saw blue skies and soft rolling clouds instead.

Panic started to rise in her throat and she saw that her aura was whipping about frantically. She tried to pull it in and calm down. She noticed that the well had vines running down its side that led up to the opening. She huffed as she rose and began to use the vines to climb out, muttering to herself as she went.

"This is insane. I must have hit my head", she yelped as her foot slipped on one of the vines, "picked one hell of a day to wear sandals."

As she cleared the top of the well, her eyes widened in disbelief. She was in a clearing, a meadow of sorts, which was surrounded by woods. She was not at home anymore. As she peered around the meadow she became aware of a pulsing power that beckoned to her from the forest. The aura was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place who it belonged to. She was sure she would recognize Sesshomaru's power anywhere, so it must not be him.

With one last glance around the meadow, she pulled herself out of the well and walked toward the faint pulsing of power. As she went, she steeled herself for anything and pulled her power around her like a second skin. It wasn't easy for her since she had very little training. A mist of sweat covered her brow and she felt the effort beginning to tax her nerves. As she stalked quietly through the woods, she became aware of a familiar presence, a calming entity that she knew she recognized.

 _The goshinboku tree! The tree from our shrine._

She headed toward it and realized that the familiar aura was combined with the essence of the goshinboku tree. As she came into the small clearing where the tree was, she saw that a person was bound to the tree with an arrow. As she drew closer, she recognized the person. She gasped, her eyes widened, and she jumped a few steps back.

"Inuyasha…what happened to you?" She whispered, feeling shock and fear at the sight of him. Vines had woven around his feet and legs and Kagome realized he'd been imprisoned on that tree for some time. He was silent and still, obviously asleep or dead. He looked peaceful, more peaceful than she had ever seen him.

"What is going on?" She asked herself frantically.

As she began approaching Inuyasha, the ground began to rumble and quake at her feet. She heard a screech emanate from the forest and it was growing louder. She steeled herself against what was coming. She felt its angry yoki moving toward her at a breakneck pace. In moments a huge demon appeared in front of her. It was the largest demon she'd ever seen. Most demon's in her time were generally humanoid but had obvious demon characteristics, like blue skin and gills or fur and a tail. This demon was not like the ones she had ever seen. It was obviously evil and feral. And it was huge. It was a centipede demon and it was shrieking about something, and the sound was piercing to Kagome's ears. As her hearing adjusted she started to comprehend some of what the she-demon was saying.

"I want it! I know you have it! I can feel it! Give it to me!"

The demon lunged at Kagome and she leapt to the side, rolling as she went. The demon wound its long body around her and started to squeeze and she was screaming over and over that Kagome had to give something to her. In a flash of panic, Kagome shot her hands out and rested them on the demons slimy body and pushed out as much power as she could. The demon screamed and released her. She dropped to the ground, and began to peddle backwards. She saw her pack lying a few yards away, right next to the centipede demon. She considered running to grab it, but she was terrified the demoness would snatch her up again. She backed into the goshinboku tree and Inuyasha's voice startled her so much she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Ey, Kikyo! What are you doing messing around with that thing? Just kill it!"

She whipped around and stared at him with wide eyes.

"I'm not Kikyo, Inuyasha! I'm Kagome! Ka-Go-Me! You should know that much by now!"

He stared at her, taking her in, and she was startled by the level of depth in his eyes. She had never seen him look so attentive. He'd always been only half there when she was with him. But right now he seemed to be in full control of himself. His eyes widened and she knew he realized she wasn't 'Kikyo', whoever the hell that was.

"Keh. Whatever. Kill the thing, wench!"

She bristled at the name, she'd been called it hundreds of times by him before. She turned back to the centipede demoness and saw that she was lifting her head and beginning to move again. Kagome's heart was pounding in her chest and she was breathing raggedly. She felt that her power reserves were low and that she probably wouldn't stay conscious through another attack on the damn thing. She turned to Inuyasha and eyed him dubiously.

"Can you kill that thing?" She asked him quickly.

"Keh, of course I can. Can you remove this damn arrow?"

She eyed the arrow, then flitted her gaze back to him. She heard the centipede demoness trying to rise and anxiety shot through her. She grabbed onto the arrow with both hands and wrenched it out of his body. It imploded with a burst of magenta light and the clearing fell silent. She looked up to Inuyasha who was watching her with surprise written all over his face. The demoness screeched and darted toward them. Inuyasha leapt from his place at the base of the tree and sliced the demon into pieces with his claws. He landed softly and turned to Kagome with an evil smirk on his face.

"So, you have the shikon no tama? Give it to me now, miko. Or I'll kill you here and now."

She blanched at his words and searched her mind for any memories of the shikon no tama. A memory tried to surface, but the harder she fought to remember it, the more evasive it was. She looked up into his eyes, and was startled once again to see that there was a depth of presence and attention that she'd never seen from him before. It took her awhile to find her voice.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Inuyasha! What the hell is the shikon no tama?"

She was a little terrified of him, but she saw her pack lying a few feet behind him and new she had a binding spell inside it. She began to circle sideways. He noticed and began to circle, in an attempt to keep her in front of him.

"Don't lie to me wench! I can sense it! I know you have it! And I will kill you if I have to!"

Kagome stared at him incredulously. She didn't sense anything except his yoki and her quickly rekindling reiki. She saw Inuyasha's ear twitch and she looked around the clearing. His head snapped to the side and Kagome began to hear the footfalls of horses. She took advantage of the new comers and knelt down, reached into her bag and snatched the envelope out. Thankfully she had grabbed this from her mother. It was originally for Sesshomaru. It was a binding spell that bound the wearer to the one who put the spell on them. She had grabbed it in case he lost control of himself. She thanked the kami's that she'd had the foresight to grab it.

She stood back up and stared at Inuyasha. She could see the new comers in her peripheral vision and she prayed they were friendly and didn't attack her. His head snapped back toward her as she fumbled to get the beads out of the envelope. His gaze flitted to her hand and he leapt at her with murder in his gaze.

She yelled out the incantation that her mother had taught her. The beads glowed incandescently with her magenta reiki and they shot out and looped themselves around Inuyasha's neck. She backed away as he landed before her. Her mind raced, and she wondered why he hadn't stopped. As he sauntered nearer, she remembered she had to bind him with a word. She thought frantically, trying to think of a word that would work. His hand reached out to snatch her throat, and she yelled out the first word that came to mind.

"SIT!"

In a flash of blinding light, Inuyasha was wrenched off his feet and slammed face first into the ground creating a small crater. Kagome stared, dumbfounded at his motionless body for a few seconds before snatching her bag up and backing away from him.

She heard the whinnying of horses and turned to find at least twenty people on horseback, all men save one, staring at her incredulously. The old woman who was at the head of the group stared at Kagome like she was a ghost. She slowly slid off her horse and walked toward Kagome. Kagome took a step back from the stranger and eyed her dubiously. The woman stopped as she saw Kagome's uneasy expression. Her face softened and she took an inventory of Kagome quickly. Her voice was soft, but strong as she spoke.

"My name is Kaede. What's your name child?"

Kagome regarded her carefully, but answered, "My name is Kagome. Where are we?"

The woman eyed her curiously. "We are near my village, Edo. We are in the Inuyasha forest. Can I ask how he got free from the sacred tree?"

Kagome's mind raced. She knew that her family's shrine was built where a forest had once stood. In the feudal era there had been a forest near a village called Edo, and that was where her ancestors had decided to build their shrine. Her mind was running a million miles an hour. The only conclusion she could draw, was that when she had fallen through the well, she had landed in the feudal era.

 _This is madness… I must be going insane. There's no way._

After a few minutes of silence, Kagome remembered that Kaede had asked her a question.

"I freed him", there was an audible gasp from the men on horseback. "A centipede demoness attacked me in this forest and I fought her as well as I could, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to finish her off. Inuyasha was pinned to the tree and said he could kill her if I freed him. So I removed the arrow."

Kaede's face showed all of her emotions as she processed the information.

"You are a miko, then. I saw you bind him. Do you know Inuyasha?"

Kagome considered how to answer. She knew if she told them all that she was from the future, they'd probably kill her or strand her here. She had no idea what to do. Considering her options, she went with the safest option she could think of, telling Kaede in private what had occurred. She hoped that she would believe her.

"Lady Kaede… Could we maybe go back to your village and discuss this in private?"

Kaede turned and looked at the men, her face showed amusement, as if she had forgotten they had been there.

"Absolutely child. It is not a far journey."

She turned to go back to her horse, but Kagome stopped her with a question, "What are we going to do about him?" She asked the question while pointing at Inuyasha where he was lying in a heap on the ground, groaning in pain.

Kaede looked at Inuyasha thoughtfully, then shrugged. "He will follow when he's ready. He believes you have the shikon no tama, but he knows that he can't get close enough to hurt you with those binding beads on. Leave him. He'll follow."

She turned and walked to her horse and grabbed the reigns. She motioned for Kagome to join her. Kagome followed and they walked next to each other. The village men followed and were all whispering. Kagome couldn't help overhearing some of their discussions.

"-looks just like her. They could be twins", one was saying with excitement.

Another responded in barely hushed tones, "maybe she's a reincarnation! That would explain her miko powers and how she knew the Inuyasha demon."

Kagome was stunned listening to them. She turned to study them and was surprised to find that they were dressed in the old style of kimonos and they all wore their hair in short pony tails on top of their heads. Kagome was growing more certain by the second that she had fallen back in time and the realization was nothing short of terrifying.

Kaede's soft voice interrupted her thoughts, "Pay them no mind, child. Their imaginations are running away from them."

Kagome calmed a little at her reassurance but a small piece of her continued to fret over what it meant. Inuyasha had called her Kikyo and these men seemed to think she was someone else as well. What did it all mean? She thought with frustration. They walked together in amicable silence. Kagome kept thinking and was taking in the scenery. The forest was lovely. She noticed that Kaede carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. She tried to remember the last time she'd shot a bow. It must have been at least five years. Her mother had told her it was imperative to learn and now she was realizing that it might be more important than she originally thought.

Her thoughts were curtailed as they broke through the forest and into a large valley. A small village lay beyond the forest and Kagome could see mountains in the distance. It was beautiful, and she knew that she wasn't in her time at once.

There was no smog, the sky was clear blue and beautiful and there wasn't a modern building in sight. The buildings of the village were all feudal style huts made of straw, bamboo and old fashioned mud-rock bricks. There were handfuls of villagers milling about in fields and a few wandering around the small village. There were dogs and chickens walking around peacefully and she could hear cows somewhere nearby. She stared incredulously at the sight before her and Kaede chuckled and lead her toward a small hut on the edge of the village. The men dispersed and Kagome knew that rumors were spreading like wildfire through the village. She followed Kaede into her small hut and watched as she prepared a kettle over the fire then sat down on some furs in the center of the hut. She motioned to the floor and Kagome sat down warily.

Kaede nodded at her and Kagome knew she was waiting for her to speak. She thought about how to start telling her story. She wasn't sure she knew exactly what happened either. She just knew that she was going to sound insane.

Kagome started in carefully, "I came from the well. I was in the well house near my shrine. I fell into the well and found myself at the bottom of your dry well. When I climbed out, everything was different. I was in that meadow. I followed a familiar aura to find Inuyasha pinned to that tree. I knew him from my home. He was different though, somehow. The Inuyasha I know is a petulant little boy who can't pay attention to anyone for more than a few seconds. He's dangerous too. He's like a child with a toy being taken away. He screams and rants and breaks things."

Kagome realized she was rambling and tried to get back on track. "When I found him on the tree, the centipede demoness came out of nowhere and attacked me. I tried to vaporize it, but I was too distraught to do it properly. I used quite a bit of my energy and I was afraid if I tried again I would pass out and it would kill me. That's when Inuyasha woke up. He called me Kikyo. He asked me why I was struggling to kill the demon. I asked him if he could kill her. He said he could if I released him. So I did. He killed her with a few swipes of his claws. Then he turned on me. He said I had something called the Shikon No Tama and that if I didn't give it to him he'd kill me. I don't even know what that is. That's when you guys came along. He got distracted and I used that to my advantage. I grabbed the binding spell from my pack and bound him. The rest you know."

Kaede looked at Kagome with kindness, but obvious curiosity. She didn't look at Kagome like she thought she was crazy. Obviously this old woman had seen enough weird things to take what Kagome said at face value.

Kagome tried to pinpoint her place in time, "Are we in the warring period? When Inu No Taisho is the ruling demon?"

Kaede looked surprised, "Yes child."

Kagome gulped. She was 500 years in the past. She had to find Sesshomaru. She had to get home. Sesshomaru would slaughter her when he realized she was gone. Gods, she was not looking forward to his reaction.

Kaede's voice broke through her thoughts, "Kagome. Inuyasha was bound to that tree fifty years ago by my sister Kikyo. He tried to kill her and take the Shikon No Tama from her. He betrayed her to get the jewel. He fatally wounded her before she bound him to the tree. After he was sealed, she died and was burned with the jewel, taking it with her into the afterlife. You are almost identical to her, and you carry the same spiritual power she had. I believe you are her reincarnation and that the jewel resides within you."

Kagome's mouth dropped open and her mind raced. As she thought about everything she knew, it made a bit of sense to her. Her mother had told her that she was stronger than all the women in her family.

"What is the shikon no tama?" Kagome's voice was trembling.

Kaede responded gently, "It is the jewel of four souls. It came to be when the priestess Midoriko, my ancestor, was warring with many demons. In a final attempt to finish the battle, she fused her soul with the demons and expelled them all from her body. The result was that her soul, and the demons souls, were sealed inside of the jewel, to battle for eternity. The jewel is said to grant a wish, any wish of the holder. The jewel will only disappear when the correct wish is made, though no one knows what the 'correct wish' is. The jewel holds incredible power and makes one nearly invincible. The jewel is coveted by all races, human, hanyou, and demon alike."

Kagome sat in stunned silence. She didn't know what to say. Kaede sensed her anxiety and changed the subject.

"Are you untrained? I am a priestess, though not nearly as powerful as my sister once was. I can teach you what I know."

Kagome's eyes shot back to Kaede. That would be perfect. But why would she offer?

"Not to sound ungrateful, but why do you offer?"

"Child, you are the holder and protector of the most coveted magical item of all time. You have to be prepared for any and all circumstances. I am a priestess that cares for the welfare of all peoples. I believe it is in all of our best interests for you to be properly trained."

Kagome knew she was being honest and relaxed instantly, "I would be thrilled to have you train me until I can figure out how to get home. This will sound crazy, but I believe that this time period is five hundred years in the past from when I come from. Oh, that statement hurt my head."

Kaede chuckled softly, "I've seen and heard of many strange things happening. The bone eaters well holds strong magic. If you're here, it is for a reason. Shall we start training today?"

Kagome nodded but realized she needed time to sort through her thoughts, "Can I have some time to walk and think?"

"Of course, Kagome. Take a bow with you, just in case."

Kagome nodded and left the hut, grabbing a bow and a quiver full of arrows that were resting on the side of the structure. She walked blindly, not paying attention to her surroundings until she felt a calm presence permeate through her very marrow. She raised her head and realized she was at the goshinboku tree again. She ran her hand over its familiar surface and sighed. She sank down and sat with her back against its trunk. She wanted to weep, she was weary as hell of all the craziness that had consumed her life in the past three days. It was insane. She started to consider her feelings for Sesshomaru. They were quickly becoming all-encompassing. She sat for nearly fifteen minutes in relative silence with her eyes closed and tried to sort through the mess of her life.

A cool and powerful aura brushed against her senses and startled her. Delight spread through her entire body as she registered its familiarity. It was Sesshomaru. She opened her eyes and he stood before her in a way she'd never seen him before. He was devastatingly beautiful. He wore a white kimono that had red honeycombs patterned on it. He was wearing armor and had two sheathed swords hanging from his waist. His hair flowed around him in a silver halo, as beautiful and silky as always. His eyes were ice cold. They scared her a bit, she'd never seen him look so ruthless and dangerous. She wanted to run her hands through his hair and kiss every inch of him.

She smiled softly at him and spoke gently, "Sesshomaru."

He stiffened at the sound of her voice. It was silken and sounded like sweet, gentle, chiming bells. It was so unlike most humans. He took in her appearance. She was human, obviously, and yet she was beautiful. Her hair was ebony and her skin was creamy porcelain. Her lips were soft and plump and her scent was intoxicating. She was wearing and odd outfit that showed off copious amounts of her skin that was so unlike human women. He had felt her power from miles away. She was teeming with spiritual power, and he had wanted to meet the creature that held such a wealth of power. Curiosity was one of his baser instincts that he'd never learned to quell. He had intended to just look in and leave but the image of her sitting peacefully at the base of the sacred tree had drawn him in. Before he had realized what he was doing, he was standing in front of her and her eyes were open and she'd spoken his name.

What a lovely voice she had. But how did she know him? He grabbed his sword and leveled it at her throat in the blink of an eye. She didn't move an inch, but her face set into a scowl.

"Really. Is that necessary? Put that away, Sesshomaru. God, you're just as flammable as usual." She sounded amused by the thought.

"That's Lord Sesshomaru to you, Miko. How do you know this Sesshomaru?"

She realized at once that, of course, he wouldn't know her. They hadn't met yet. Idiot. She didn't know what to tell him, so she tried to sound vague without triggering his temper.

"From another time, another place."

He eyed her skeptically, but didn't move his sword.

"Really, drop the damn sword, Sesshomaru. I'm not going to attack you, and unless you're going to kill me, which I wouldn't suggest, you may as well drop it."

He bristled at her command. She laughed and the sound sent warmth throughout his body.

"You once told me that you're not fond of taking orders. Now I realize how true that is. Okay fine, I'll ask politely. Sesshomaru, will you please drop the sword? I mean you no harm. I just want to talk with you."

He regarded her cautiously, but couldn't sense any deception in her words. He sheathed his sword, cocked his head to the side, and hitched an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to speak. She began to giggle again and he wondered why she seemed so damned amused.

"You do that now, too?"

Sesshomaru noticed that she was talking about time. She had been since she'd opened her mouth. He considered her words; from another time and you do that now. His curiosity was running rampant over this small female.

"You said you know this Sesshomaru. From a different time. Is this not your time?"

"Well fuck, you catch on fast." Her eyebrows shot to hair line and a small smile was tucked into the corner of her mouth. She continued speaking, it sounded, to him, as if she was talking to herself.

"I think, in my time, you're the only one who understands me. The only one who cares enough to protect me, but I haven't decided yet whether you're just doing it out of duty or if you actually care."

He pondered over her words. She thought that he, a future he, cared about her. He couldn't understand how he could feel anything for a human, except annoyance. But there was something in the back of his mind that was nagging at him. His beast, he realized, with surprise. His beast was growling at him, trying to communicate something with him.

"When are you from, miko?"

"My name is Kagome. Five hundred years from now, give or take a few." She studied him, looking for any hint of emotion or thought on his face. He kept himself well governed, mostly. She saw surprise, confusion, doubt, and then acceptance. Then his face went blank again. She wanted to laugh at his antics, his supreme ability to hide his thoughts from everyone, except, apparently her.

"I see that you believe me. You usually do trust my word. I haven't lied to you yet. Would you like to sit? I can tell you have some questions, we might be here for a while", she stated gently, with a luminescent smile on her lips.

He felt himself complying with little resistance. He gracefully sat in front of her with his legs crossed.

She laughed again, and when she saw his murderous expression she explained her amusement, "I was told that in this time period you are a great lord who would murder anyone before blinking an eye. I also heard that your temper was high, which is true in my time as well, but I see you're still the same way around me. Curious, isn't it?"

He studied her, not comprehending her meaning. He didn't know how he acted around her in the future. And he couldn't begin to explain his actions around her now.

"How do I act around you, in your time?" He pushed the question out brusquely.

"Oh, you're quite sweet. Very sarcastic. Always looking out for me, protecting me. You make me tea and let me wear your clothes, you cook for me and have protected me numerous time."

"But why would I do that? Those are the actions of a mate."

His statement sent a shockwave through them both. Kagome stared at him and wondered if that's how he saw her.

 _Is that why he's always being kind, taking care of me, and can't keep his hands off me?_

She felt her body convulse slightly as she broke into fits of laughter.

He stared at her, mildly concerned that she was dying, mostly due to the fact that he wouldn't get his answers if she died.

"Oh my god. It all makes sense now. That's why you hate Inuyasha so much. Oh gods, when I tell you, obviously in 500 years, you're going to have a fit and ignore me for days. I know it."

She broke into another bout of hysterics. He stared at her, his anger rising. He broke in through her laughter, his words fueled by anger.

"Why would I mate you? You're a human, a weak, helpless, human."

Her laughter died abruptly.

"Oh yeah? Try me, big man. I don't think I can kill you, but I'm not weak."

She got to her feet and faced him as he rose.

"Push your yoki against me."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, angry she was giving him orders again, but curious as to what she was trying to prove. He complied. He pushed his yoki out and surrounded her with it. Her breath caught and a red flush rose in her face. She pushed back his yoki with her reiki and her aura welled around him and engulfed his own. Surprise registered on his face, then it was gone as he focused his energy into his yoki. He flared it outward and pushed against her. She grinned and pushed back harder. They kept pushing, back and forth, reaching new heights. Their aura's whirled around them in a green and magenta spiral, picking up leaves and creating a tunnel around them. Kagome was laughing softly in delight. When Kagome showed signs of weakness he started to lower his yoki and bring it back into himself. She did the same and sat down with a sigh and a smile on her face.

Sesshomaru was lost in his thoughts. He had never met a human with this much power, and had never met a demoness that was her equal. They were either beautiful and weak, or they were strong and were conniving bitches. Both groups annoyed him endlessly and none of them could hold a candle to this woman in front of him. He lowered himself back into a sitting position and studied her. She was beautiful, had considerable backbone, was extremely powerful and had an interesting personality. She was not afraid of him in the least. In fact, she seemed to revel in his presence. She was sure of herself, enough to challenge him. She knew that he wouldn't kill her during the challenge, though he wasn't sure how she knew, when he himself didn't know why she'd been able to withstand him and his yoki.

Sesshomaru's thoughts were derailed as he felt Inuyasha's aura brush up against his own. He let out a growl and turned to stand protectively in front of Kagome. She bristled as she realized who the intruder was.

"Come out from hiding, half breed."

A tree a rustled and Inuyasha leapt out of it and onto the ground about fifteen feet away. He felt Kagome's unease at Inuyasha's proximity and Sesshomaru wondered what he'd done to earn her distrust, and he yearned to soothe her, something he hadn't felt in decades. He stood in front of her, blocking her from Inuyasha's view.

"What do you want?" He growled it out. Inuyasha bristled and they both felt his temper rising and his aura flair.

"The girl is mine. She has something I want. You can have her when I'm finished."

Sesshomaru snarled viciously at Inuyasha's claim on the woman. _She would not belong to him. She belongs to me!_ He was surprised at his own thoughts; that he should already have a claim over the woman. His beast seemed to snarl a little louder in his head. Before he could respond to Inuyasha, Kagome exploded next to him. Her reiki shot out wildly and he could smell the fury rolling off of her. She flitted around Sesshomaru and began to scream at Inuyasha.

"I do not belong to you anymore! Never again! Keep the fuck away from me! You are a despicable son of a-"

She broke off as Sesshomaru grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back against him, stopping her from advancing on Inuyasha. She felt a rumbling in Sesshomaru's chest and she realized that Sesshomaru was chuckling. The sound calmed her and she spoke again, more calm, but with no less venom then before.

"You stay away from me Inuyasha. I mean it. You will never get the jewel! Never."

Kagome felt Sesshomaru stiffen at the mention of the jewel. Inuyasha's face held genuine pain at her words. She had no doubt that he'd been called worse things, and it made her a bit uneasy to see that her words had hurt him. The Inuyasha she knew, didn't care about what he was called, he just threw tantrums and screamed when he felt he'd been wronged. Something about him in this time was different. It wasn't right, wasn't normal.

He turned to leave and Kagome knew that he wasn't going far, but just far enough to be away from them, but close enough to follow her when she left. Sesshomaru turned her around in his arms and stared at her with obvious confusion in his eyes.

"What did he do to you, Kagome?"

Kagome shivered at the sound of her name on his lips. She broke off their gaze and stared at his chest. He raised a hand to her chin and lifted her gaze back to his.

"He attacked me, a few days ago. In my time. We had been dating for a few months, and he tried to…he tried to have sex with me without my permission. He almost made me, against my will."

Sesshomaru felt fury settle into his bones. He gripped Kagome tighter. He'd kill him. Slowly and painfully.

"How did you get away?"

A slow, sly smile spread across her face, "You saved me. You were following us, and you stopped him before he could hurt me."

All at once, all of her claims about his actions toward her, felt right. His emotions began flooding his mind. Her scent filtered into his nose and he realized that she smelled of roses and honey. Her blue eyes were staring into his and they held nothing back. They showed a depth of emotion that terrified him, but pulled him in closer. He felt like he was drowning in her azure gaze. He lowered his head slowly to her throat and nuzzled the soft skin. He pressed his lips to the place where her pulse throbbed. Her breathing turned ragged and her scent spiked. He ran his tongue across the sensitive skin and dragged one of his fangs over her delicate skin. She moaned softly and he raised his head to kiss her.

A voice broke the moment and Kagome jumped in his arms, "Kagome. Are you coming to the lesson?"

It was Kaede. _Fuck_ , Kagome thought. She had forgotten all about the lesson. She looked at Sesshomaru and smothered a laugh in his chest. He did no look happy to have been interrupted.

"I'm coming. I'll meet you at your hut in a bit!" She called out to Kaede. They listened as her footfalls grew quieter with her departure.

"That's Kaede. She's teaching me how to control my powers and how to be a priestess. I have to go with her."

Noticing that he didn't release her or respond, she laughed again and tried another tactic.

"Do you want to come with me?"

He eyed her curiously, realizing that she wasn't trying to make an excuse or get rid of him. He sighed and released her. He nodded and followed her as she walked toward where the woman had called from. As they were walking he remembered that Inuyasha had brought up the jewel to her. He seemed to think that Kagome was in possession of it.

"Kagome, why did Inuyasha believe that you have the sacred jewel?"

He eyed her studiously, looking for any trace of deception.

"Because I do." She saw that this piqued his curiosity, she laughed and elaborated.

"It's a part of me. I didn't even know it was there until today. Apparently when I was born it was inside me. You probably can't sense it because its power is the same as my reiki. I think that's why I've never noticed it before."

He stared at her, realizing that she was growing more complex by the minute. She eyed him curiously and a bit of fear started to seep out of her. He didn't like it.

"You don't want the jewel, do you?"

He scowled at her, "Why would I need the jewel? I'm the strongest demon alive, next to my father."

She relaxed immediately and he wondered if she thought he'd try to kill her for the jewel, like his half-brother had wanted to. They made their way to the village silently and Kagome led him to a small hut in a human village. The villagers that happened to be milling about were watching Sesshomaru with obvious fear on their faces. They scuttled away with haste, probably wondering what their precious reincarnation was doing with a demon of such heightened power.

Kaede was standing outside of her hut with obvious surprise written on her face. Kagome saw it and laughed. She motioned for Kaede to proceed. She led the way to a hill just outside the village. She looked at Kagome then sent a pointed glance to Sesshomaru. Kagome laughed again.

"Don't mind him. We know each other from my time and I've managed to convince him of the truth. He's just going to stay and watch. Quietly."

She said the last with a lift of her eyebrow and a pointed glance. He scowled at her and she laughed again. He sat some ten feet away and watched as they commenced her training. He took every detail of her in and couldn't look away. She was growing more beautiful to him by the minute and he felt his arousal start to flow through him. Watching her was heaven and torture all at once. She was powerful but also painfully under-trained. She needed combat training, obviously. He wondered if he'd already offered to teach her in the future. Probably. Knowing himself, he was probably terrified at the idea of leaving her alone for any amount of time, no matter how small.

He watched as they trained for over an hour and he made small comments and suggestions to her about posture or breathing at times. Kaede watched him with obvious surprise and warmth. He didn't like it. She obviously had heard of his reputation and was surprised to find him here and being amicable. When the sun started to set, Kaede called an end to the practice and told Kagome they'd train again tomorrow morning and at the same time in the evening. While Kaede was walking away, she turned back to see that Kagome was not following her back to village. Kagome looked toward Sesshomaru and he nodded at her.

"Kaede, I'll catch up in a while. We still have some things to talk about."

She nodded, smiled, and kept walking back toward the village. Kagome walked to where Sesshomaru was sitting and plopped down with a groan. She collapsed fully and rested her head on the ground and stared at the setting sun. Sesshomaru searched her face and saw that she was weary and tired. He could imagine how taxing it would be for her to be attacked by someone she trusted, then thrust back in time in a matter of days. She was strong, but not infallible.

"How did you get here?" His voice was soft and it surprised him. He was never soft with anyone. Ever.

She chuckled softly, "Now that is a good story. You and I went to my family's shrine to pick up some protective spells. After we left the house you wanted to look at our well house. You said you felt power coming from inside the building so I took you to have a look at it." She paused and broke into laughter. The sound brought a small smile to his face and he continued to watch her as she elaborated further.

"As soon as we walked through the damn door you jumped me Sesshomaru." Her gaze turned soft and she stared off into nothing. Sesshomaru didn't understand her phrase 'jumped me'.

"What does that mean", he asked, slightly annoyed that he didn't know. She laughed again and colored from head to toe. The blush was rosy and made her skin look absolutely succulent.

Her voice was soft and trembling as she explained, "You grabbed me into your arms and pushed me up against the wall. You started… you kissed me."

Her voice trailed off softly and he could tell she was lost in the memory. It was obviously one she enjoyed. Her scent shifted and he could smell her arousal. It fueled his own and in seconds he was harder than a rock.

She shivered slightly as a cool breeze swept over them. He removed his haori, lifted her off the ground and into his lap, and put her into the garment like she was a child. She complied with his attentions and felt his scent surround her and the heat from his body seeped into her, making her feel warm and safe.

Realizing that she hadn't finished her story she continued dreamily, "You jumped away from me like you were on fire and apologized for mauling me. I moved to sit on the well while you walked around the room and we talked a bit. Then out of nowhere light sprang into the room and you tried to get to me but the light- I think it was my aura- pushed you away. When it rebounded back to me, it knocked me into the well. I kept falling and falling and when I landed I was at the bottom of the bone eaters well here. I had no idea how I'd gotten here or where the hell I was. When I climbed out of the well I realized I wasn't in my time anymore. I wandered into the forest and found Inuyasha. I'm sure you've figured out the rest."

He stared down at her, resting calmly in his arms. She seemed at peace and there was no fear in her voice or posture, nor could he smell any coming off of her. He could only smell calm and happiness coming from her.

As the sun went down fully she sat up quickly and looked to the other side of the sky. She calmed a bit as she saw a half moon hanging in the sky. She let out a deep sigh and relaxed against him. He raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed softly.

"You were in heat when I left, and tonight was supposed to be a full moon. You were being a bit overprotective toward me. You didn't want to be with me because you were afraid you'd jump me and you didn't want to leave me alone because you didn't want any other demons to try and take me. You were a bit all consumed with the idea of anyone getting near me, to be honest."

He smirked at her, "Of course I was. Can't have anyone touching what's mine." He caught the mistake too late. He saw on her face that she was partially pleased at his words but mostly shocked that he'd said that.

"I've known you for months and we've been in close proximity for days and you've never said anything like that to me. And now that I'm five hundred years in the past and you've known me for a few hours you're laying claim to me? What the hell Sesshomaru?"

He shrugged, "A demon always knows when he's found what's his." He couldn't bring himself to call her his mate yet. He still hadn't fully brought himself to terms with the idea.

"And I know for a fact that I was thinking it. I'm probably just avoiding the truth and don't want to scare you off. Or hurt you. Those are all viable options."

She stared at him, dumbfounded, with her mouth hanging open.

"My head hurts from that statement. So you, right now, are laying claim. To me. And you, in the future, have already laid claim to me, even though you won't admit it to me or yourself and if anyone touches me you're likely to kill them?"

He nodded and she sighed in exasperation.

"Why can't you just say what you mean? Ever. I mean damn, Sesshomaru, this is confusing."

"I can't explain, but I can show you."

He lowered his head to hers and latched his mouth onto hers. She groaned into his mouth and turned in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. He licked into her mouth and she pressed closer to him. He searched her mouth with his tongue, trying to learn every piece of her. She tasted divine and he wanted to touch every inch of her. His hands slid down her sides and he wound them around her and grabbed her ass and pulled her closer to him. She ground against him and groaned into his mouth again. She reciprocated with heightened fervor. Her tongue clashed with his and she nipped at his lower lip with her teeth. He growled in pleasure and brought them down to the grass. She gasped at the change in sensation and he ran his hand up her front and cupped her breast. She moaned heavily as he began to caress her nipple through the fabric of her clothes with the pad of his thumb. Her heart was hammering in her chest and he groaned as she pressed up into him.

He made to pull her breast from its confines when sound started to filter into his ears. He froze and focused on the sound and cursed flagrantly. Kagome looked up into his eyes and they held confusion.

"Something's wrong. I hear screaming in the village."

Kagome's eyes widened and in a second she had rolled from beneath him, leapt to her feet and took off sprinting for the village. He caught up with her in less than a second and snatched her into his arms and took off for the village. He didn't care what happened to the village, but he knew she did. He knew she would be upset if anything happened to the villagers. And though he couldn't understand why it mattered to him, he knew he didn't want her to feel that way.

As they entered the village Kagome's eyes widened and she yelled at Sesshomaru to set her down. He did and she stood rooted and looked at what was hell come to earth. There were demons everywhere. They were ripping the roofs off of the huts and tearing people out. Buildings were on fire and people were screaming and running in fear. Many of the villagers were attempting to fight the demons and Kagome saw there were dead bodies strewn across the entire village. Kagome noticed that there was an odd cloud of purple miasma in the center of the village. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed in blood lust as he saw who was standing in the center of the village. He was controlling the demons and looking straight at Kagome with obvious interest. Sesshomaru's blood boiled as him began to stride toward her with purpose. As he approached, Sesshomaru stepped in front of Kagome to protect her.

The man smiled wickedly and Sesshomaru snarled out his name, "Naraku."

* * *

Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more twists and turns. Next chapter we go back to Sesshomaru in the present. I hope, as always, that you enjoyed!


	6. Chapter 6: Memories Resurface

As always, enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: _I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!_

* * *

Sesshomaru felt fear roll through him for the first time in decades as he saw that the well was empty and Kagome was gone. He vaulted over the side of the well and dropped gracefully to the bottom. He examined every inch of the well and noticed the Kagome's scent was gone. Panic shot through him. He had no idea what was going on and his beast started to howl and throw himself against the quickly decaying walls of the cage that Sesshomaru usually had him in. Sesshomaru could feel his nerves begin to fray and knew he would lose control soon if he didn't get control of himself.

He leapt out of the well and started to pace back and forth. He attempted to get his yoki under control, as it was whirling around him dangerously and growing in ferocity. Sesshomaru heard the door open and he turned to it with a vicious growl in his throat. He calmed minutely as he saw it was Kagome's mother. She raised a brow at him and had a sly smile on her face. Sesshomaru knew instantly that she _knew._ She knew what was going on and he couldn't help but notice that her knowing look resembled his father's.

"Where is she", he growled out.

Her smile grew, "She'll be back. In a week I believe. It's better for her to be there. She won't be in danger from the full moon."

Seeing Sesshomaru's confusion, she laughed and elaborated vaguely, "You'll remember soon enough. Go see your father. He will tell you everything you need to know."

She stepped out of the well house and to the side and watched as Sesshomaru snarled, ran from the well house, and burst into his true demonic form. She gasped at the sight. He was the largest demon she'd ever seen. He was a huge dog demon with magenta stripes and a lavender moon on his forehead. His fur was the purest ivory color she'd ever seen and it reminded her of an undisturbed field of snow. His tail flowed behind him and his eyes glowed like bloody rubies in his face. His fangs were massive and she knew that she would be no match for his strength.

Sesshomaru took off into the sky and took distance eating strides toward the valley that lay at the base of the western mountains. He snarled at himself, the situation and the fact that he had no idea where Kagome was. He knew in his marrow that Kagome was his mate and there was no way to avoid the truth, especially when he was in his beast form. He'd been denying the raw attraction between them for days and it was beginning to feel like he would explode if he didn't make her his mate. He was furious with himself that he'd lost control. He almost never burst into his demonic form from rage. It had been quite a long time since he'd lost control to this measure.

As he neared the estate he saw his father standing on the front lawns with his phone to his ear. Sesshomaru perked his ears up to catch the last of his conversation.

"Yes, I see him now. He's in quite a temper too, thank you for that, Mz. H. I'll call you after he leaves." With that he hung up his phone and dropped it into his pocket. He looked up to Sesshomaru and shook his head with a smile on his face. Sesshomaru landed in front of him nearly fifteen feet away. Toga let out a deep husky laugh that made Sesshomaru furious.

 _How could he be laughing at a time like this?_

Sesshomaru let out a growl of anger and Toga raised his brow at him. Toga understood Sesshomaru's words, even though he was in his human form. Most upper level demons that rivaled Sesshomaru and Toga's power could understand their native tongue while in human form, but there were very few demons with such power.

"Oh don't growl at me, boy. I am still your father. Show me the respect I deserve."

Sesshomaru let out a string of growls and curses, " _What are you keeping from me? What the fuck is going on?"_

Toga rolled his eyes, "Are you going to stay like that, or shall we talk as mature adults?"

Sesshomaru growled venomously and Toga shrugged his shoulders.

"Fine. It's been quite a while since I've sparred. We'll see if you've learned anything in the last hundred years."

Toga removed his phone from his pocket and took off his jacket. He tossed the items to the side where they wouldn't get damaged. He snarled and transformed into his dog-demon form. Sesshomaru knew he was biting off more than he could chew. He'd never beaten his father at sparring, but he was too angry to see straight.

Sesshomaru noted the difference immediately. When he had landed, he had towered over his father. He had been nearly ten times his height. Now his father stood at least twenty feet taller than him. His father wasn't the king for no reason. He was of royal blood, yes, but the sheer fact that he was ruthless and undefeatable on the battlefield had kept a myriad of enemies from attempting to usurp his throne.

Sesshomaru circled his father and growled in frustration.

" _Where is she?"_

Toga let out a husky laugh, " _Not yet. You're not sufficiently calm. When you are, I will tell you."_

Sesshomaru growled in fury. No one refused him anything. He always found a way to get what he wanted and he wouldn't let his father hold this from him any longer. He was hiding something, something important, from his own son.

" _What are you hiding from me, and why?"_ Sesshomaru's patience was waning and he was a hair's breadth away from leaping at his father.

" _She asked me to, son. And it's for the greater good."_

Sesshomaru's patience snapped and he lunged forward. His father moved to jump out of the way, but Sesshomaru saw it coming and zagged at the last minute and swiped one of his giant paws across Toga's chest. Toga growled viciously and rolled away. Ruby droplets spilled over Toga's luscious silver fur. Toga glanced down at the sight and a mixture of fury and pride filled his eyes. He dashed around sesshomaru caught one of his hind legs in his great maw and threw his body against Sesshomaru's. Sesshomaru yelped in surprise and fell with a resounding thud onto the ground. He used his free hind paw to swipe at togas face and felt the fur and skin of Toga's muzzle tear under his claws. Sesshomaru rolled them and attempted to clamp his jaws around Toga's throat, a sign of submission to the alpha, but Toga kicked out at Sesshomaru's belly. The blow connected with bruising force and Sesshomaru knew he'd be hurting for a few days. Sesshomaru went flying off of Toga and landed on the ground again with a loud crash. Toga leapt up and bound toward Sesshomaru. He lowered his head with lightning speed and caught Sesshomaru's throat in his teeth. He applied enough pressure to get the point across, but not enough to damage him.

" _Enough, son_ ", Toga growled ferociously.

Sesshomaru nodded almost imperceptibly and Toga released him and stepped away. Slowly, Toga transformed back into his humanoid form. Sesshomaru stood and did the same. Fury was still rolling through him, but Sesshomaru felt a sense of calm wash over him that could only come from one source; his alpha. Sesshomaru knew that his father, as king and alpha, would protect his family and his pack. Sesshomaru also knew that Kagome was considered pack and that Toga loved her like a daughter and would go to any lengths to protect her.

Sesshomaru followed Toga as he led the way into the house. The estate was built on the grounds of the original manor of the Lord of the West. It technically belonged to Sesshomaru, but he much preferred to live in the city, close to his company. Toga lived in the estate when he wasn't running their 'kingdom'. As the prince of the Inu tribe, Sesshomaru was the Lord of the West and he was accountable to no one, except his father. His heirs would take the title from him when they came of age, once he was king. Sesshomaru wasn't particularly fond of the idea that one day he'd have to rule over all of the inu and take his fathers place at the head of human and demon relations, but he knew it was his duty, and he always fulfilled his obligations.

Toga led them into the study and went to a cupboard near a bookshelf. He pulled out a small box, a book, two glasses, and a bottle of old bourbon. Pouring them both a liberal mount, he retrieved the glasses and brought one to Sesshomaru. They lowered themselves into chairs and Sesshomaru took up his glass and took a long swallow. He sat quietly with one eyebrow raised, indicating that his father should start explaining.

"This is going to sound a little crazy, but I know you have a high tolerance for odd things. Around five hundred years ago, you came to me and you had a woman with you. You said that you'd found your mate and that you didn't give a damn what I thought about it", Toga laughed deeply and his eyes twinkled as he was lost in the memory. Sesshomaru's brows were in his hairline. He didn't remember _any_ of this.

Toga continued on, sounding amused, "At first I had reservations. First of all, she was human, and a miko at that. I told you that you could mate an inu demoness and take her as a mistress but the second it was out of my mouth, the girl practically _exploded_ with rage. It was quite a sight. She stormed up to me and told me she knew her worth and she would be no ones _bitch._ Gods, she was enchanting. She even poked me in the chest! What a little spit fire. She said that she didn't know a single demoness that could hold a candle to her power." A large smile spread across his face and he chuckled softly.

"Your mother was there at the time and she was volcanic at the insinuation that this child was stronger than her. The girl told your mom that she was stronger then her and she'd be more than happy to prove it. You hid your feelings fairly well in those days, but even you looked nauseous at the idea of her and your mother battling. You allowed it though, as did I. I assumed you knew that as your mate she'd have to prove herself eventually, and if she could best the strongest female inu on record, that it would do wonders for you both. They squared up and began a battle of wills, and I tell you what, I've never seen anything like it to this day. Her aura whipped around her viciously and she was right. Your mother couldn't hold a candle to her. She knocked her flat on her ass with only her aura. After that I took you both to talk a little and I knew she was the one for you. You were positively smitten with her and it was the most unusual sight. You smiled, a lot. It was entirely out of character."

Toga paused, obviously allowing Sesshomaru to consider what he'd been told. Sesshomaru's mind raced with the possibilities that so many things could have happened without him remembering. He fought harder to remember and bits and pieces of images started to filter into his memory. His mother's face, flushed and furious, Toga's smile and forever elusive images of a woman with black hair and porcelain skin.

Toga began again sounding more grave than before, derailing Sesshomaru's thoughts, "While we talked, she told me that an enemy had been pursuing you both because she was carrying the sacred jewel. She said that she wasn't sure when he would surface again but she was getting a bad feeling, like he was drawing nearer. I told her that I would handle it and dispatch of the enemy. After you left, I looked into the enemy and found a wealth of information that was all very disturbing. Before I was able to set a plan into motion to dispatch of the nuisance, she returned to the estate without you. She gave me this book", he held up _Love Through the Era's_ , "and told me to continue to vaguely document your history throughout time. She said we would meet again eventually and that you wouldn't remember anything. She said the the enemy had found her and that he was going to kill you if she didn't give him the jewel, so she decided to leave, and go back to her time. She convinced you to drink some sort of potion that erased her entirely from your memory. Around the same time, Inuyasha changed. He became more heartless than I'd ever seen him. During my research I found that he'd fallen in love with a human miko, the protector of the sacred jewel. He was going to use the jewel to become human and live with her. The day that he was to make the wish, she betrayed him and tried to kill him, but it wasn't her. It was the same enemy that threatened your woman. The same day, the demon disguised himself as Inuyasha and attacked the woman. He wounded her fatally and in a last attempt to save the jewel, she sealed the real Inuyasha to the sacred tree. She died shortly after and they burned the jewel with her."

Sesshomaru knew that this all had something to do with Kagome, but he was waiting, impatiently, for his father to get to the point.

"Fifty years after he was sealed to the tree, your woman stumbled upon him and freed him. You met her the same day. It only took you a day or two to realize that she was your mate and then you brought her to me. The day after that was when she brought me the book, and the day after that, she was gone. No one could find her. Her enemy, Naraku, dropped off the map entirely."

Sesshomaru stiffened at the name. He knew that man. He was positive he knew him. The memories were flooding into his brain at a painful pace.

"When Kagome walked into our house six months ago, I nearly had a heart attack. I knew at once she didn't remember me, because she hadn't fallen into the well yet. That's where she is, Sesshomaru. That's where the well took her. It took her to you."

"I couldn't believe it. She was there with Inuyasha and I knew by the look on your face that you wanted her. I knew you didn't know why, but I figured you'd get around to it. I never expected Inuyasha to attack her. I thought she could handle herself against him, but I forgot that she wouldn't be trained until she fell into the well."

Sesshomaru's mind was drowning in thoughts. His father picked up the small box and handed it to Sesshomaru. Toga glanced out the window and noticed that the sun had set and that the full moon had finally risen.

Sesshomaru opened the box with shaking hands and it had a few items inside it. There was a small necklace with an ivory moon pendant, a piece of silk fabric from a woman's kimono, two locks of hair; one silver and one ebony, and a small marble-sized cake.

"I hope the spell is still good. She said if I didn't open the box that the cake would stay good until you had to eat it. It's been five hundred years, though, I hope she was right." Toga eyed the small round cake dubiously, grabbed it from the box and set it in Sesshomaru's hand.

"Eat it, and you should remember everything."

Sesshomaru's gaze flitted between the cake and his father for at least a minute before he popped the thing in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed. Searing, white hot pain shot through him and he felt like his head would crack open. He slid out of his chair and dropped to the ground bonelessly, writhing in pain as million of memories and images flowed into his brain. It was like dam breaking and the water flowed dangerously fast into his brain. His eyes rolled back into his head and he shook with the effort to stay conscious. Toga saw that Sesshomaru's body was shimmering and attempting to shift into his demon form.

"Fuck. You will not destroy my study, Sesshomaru", he grumbled to himself as he lifted Sesshomaru off the ground and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

He ran for the door and in seconds they were in the back gardens. Toga set Sesshomaru on the ground and watched Sesshomaru writhe in pain for minutes on end. Finally, Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open and in seconds he had shifted into his demon form. He took off from the garden and into the nearby forest. Toga shifted and followed after him at breakneck speed. Toga's ears perked up as he heard Sesshomaru's howls.

Sesshomaru ran as fast as he could toward the well and howled into the night. It took him half the time to reach the shrine then it had to make the journey to the estate. He tore through the clearing, past the sacred tree and to the well house. He sat outside the well house and rose his head to the moon. Kagome's mother ran out of the house just as Toga arrived. The two watched Sesshomaru as he howled, in agony, into the night.

* * *

Kagome stared dumbly at the carnage before her. Screams tore through the night and mixed with the snarls of demons. A man with cold beauty was at the center of the mayhem and when he saw Kagome, his eyes narrowed and a malevolent smile grew on his face. He began to walk toward her and she was struck with fear at what she saw. A dark and evil aura pooled around him like acid and burned everything in its wake. His eyes were hollow and she knew there was no good in this man. As he grew near, Sesshomaru stationed himself between them. Kagome heard Sesshomaru growl venomously and a name fell from his mouth.

"Naraku." It was said with such hatred that Kagome felt chills roll down her spine.

Naraku's voice was soft, but it grated on her senses like nails on a chalk board, "Give me the girl."

Sesshomaru snarled viciously in response and created a poison green colored whip out of his yoki. Kagome was trying to think of something she could do to keep Sesshomaru from harm, but also to get rid of this demon. She looked around frantically for something she could use to defend herself and her eyes landed on a bow and arrow and she wondered if she could wield it properly. A memory sprang into her mind and she heard her mother's voice. The memory was from a lesson she had been giving Kagome about why archery was important to master.

She had told Kagome, "You can store your reiki in the arrow and it can purify demons on contact, or do considerable damage. It will be one of your most valuable weapons, Kagome."

She whispered to Sesshomaru before dashing for the bow, "Distract him."

Sesshomaru sent her a sideways glance, but she was already gone. Sesshomaru saw Naraku's eyes following Kagome and he flicked his wrist and wrapped his whip around Naraku's throat and tugged.

"You will have to go through me to get her."

Naraku smiled sinisterly and reached for the whip at his throat. He couldn't hide a twitch of pain as the poison from the whip burned his skin. He unwound the whip and tossed it back toward Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru noted with pleasure that he had burns around his throat. Sesshomaru flicked the whip again and it grazed Naraku's chin. It was just to taunt, to anger the demon and it worked. Naraku's eyes filled with fury and he lunged at Sesshomaru with his arm outstretched, as if to grab him. Sesshomaru noticed, a second too late, that Naraku's arm had elongated and was now shaped like a sword and it was made of bone. It pierced Sesshomaru's left shoulder and Naraku drove it deeper. Sesshomaru saw, rather then felt, miasma leak out of the wound. Enraged, he grabbed his sword, unsheathed it, and sliced upward in a nearly invisible stroke. Naraku's arm was severed and he yowled in rage. Sesshomaru reached up to the arm, still embedded in his shoulder, and wrenched it out.

Naraku looked shocked for a moment before Sesshomaru spoke, "I've heard of your miasma. Unfortunately for you, it's not nearly as poisonous as the blood flowing through my veins."

Faster than Naraku could track, Sesshomaru leapt at him and dug his poison claws into Naraku's chest and let poison seep through him and into the wound he was inflicting. Naraku began to laugh maniacally and Sesshomaru's gaze darted to his. Naraku turned his other arm into a sword and sliced upward. It took Sesshomaru a few full seconds to realize what had happened. Naraku had severed Sesshomaru's arm above the elbow. The pain was intense, but Sesshomaru thought through it and conjured his whip again. He wrapped it around Naraku's throat and yanked, tightening the loop.

"You _dare_ inflict damage on the Lord of the West? You disgusting half breed, I will be the one to end you-"

Before Sesshomaru could finish him off, he was knocked to the side by a wave of razors. A demoness with a fan in her hand had thrown a wave of razor shaped yoki at him on the wind. He snarled and saw that the woman had stationed herself between Sesshomaru and Naraku. She was protecting him.

He stood, bleeding freely from what was now a stub on his arm, "I've heard of you, Naraku. You've been sending demons by the horde into my lands and destroying thousands of my kin. I will be the one to defeat you-", he broke off as he saw Kagome behind the pair. She was standing on one of the hut's that wasn't burning. She had a bow in her hand and was firing off arrow after arrow into the horde of demons. The arrows streaked through the air drenched in magenta light. They cut through Naraku's miasma and purified the lower level demon on contact. He could tell that her aim was a bit off, but with the strength of her reiki, if she got it within five feet of a demon, they were incinerated. He watched her take out handfuls of demons before he remembered he was delivering threats. When he looked back down to Naraku, he was surprised to find that his wounds had healed and that he'd regrown his arm.

As he started to stalk toward him, Kagome's voice rang out clearly, "Do not move, Naraku."

The woman, Naraku, and Sesshomaru all froze. Sesshomaru's eyes darted to Kagome, who was now kneeling on the ground twenty feet from Naraku with her arrow aimed at where his heart would be. Pride scorched through Sesshomaru, tinged with fear. She was too close to him. Much too close. Naraku laughed evilly and threw up a small pink barrier that encompassed him and the woman. He began to walk toward Kagome and she loosed the arrow. Sesshomaru's jaw dropped as he saw the arrow go _through_ Naraku's barrier and impaled him through the chest. Naraku looked down at the arrow with obvious surprise and then fury as he saw it began to purify the lower half of his body. The top half of his body remained intact as her reiki's light faded.

Sesshomaru and Kagome heard Naraku's startled whisper, "But I thought only Kikyo could..", he broke off in surprise.

He glanced up to Kagome with a wolfish grin and Sesshomaru's eyes followed to Kagome. A huge winged demon was gaining on her from behind with tremendous speed. It reached out sliced Kagome from shoulder blade to collar bone. Her scream wrenched through the air and Sesshomaru's heart felt like it was being ripped in two. His beast was screaming one word over and over in his head. _**Mate!**_ He ran and caught her before she collapsed. Naraku was walking toward them and Kagome opened her eyes and stared at him.

"You'll..never get.. the jewel."

Before she passed out, a colossal wave of her reiki pulsed outward and tore through the village. All of the lower level demons were incinerated immediately and Sesshomaru heard Naraku howl in pain. Before Kagome fell into complete unconsciousness she heard Naraku's slimy voice ring in her ears, "I will be back for you, miko."

Her vision went black and she collapsed fully in Sesshomaru's arm. He felt her body go slack against him and panic overtook him. He looked around for the old woman and saw that she was walking toward the two with panic in her eyes. When she reached them, Sesshomaru nodded toward Kagome.

"Can you heal her?"

Kaede nodded and led the way to her hut, which was, thankfully completely intact. He followed her inside and laid Kagome on a pallet near the fire. Kaede began to grab supplies and make salves while Sesshomaru sat on the ground with Kagome's head in his lap. His thoughts were anarchy. He was sure that she was his mate. His beast had been howling in fury at her pain. His heart had wrenched in his chest when he saw that she was wounded. Only one bond could cause such strong feelings. He was certain that if she did't make it through this, he would be damn to a life of hatred. He would have to leave this village and go on a killing spree so gruesome that tales of it would be passed down for centuries.

He watched anxiously as Kaede removed Kagome's clothes and started to clean the wounds. When she was done, she turned to grab a salve and Sesshomaru lifted Kagome's wounds to his mouth. He licked along the torn edges of her skin and silently willed them to heal. He saw as the wound began to slowly heal. It didn't close completely, but it was much less gruesome now. He lowered Kagome and noticed that Kaede was staring at him with obvious shock. He raised an eyebrow at her and she quickly went back to what she was doing. She applied a salve and wrapped Kagome's wounds in a bandage cloth.

"She will be fine. She should wake in a few hours. She will be sore, but she will heal." Kaede's voice was gentle and it grated on his nerves. He didn't want gentle, he wanted revenge.

Sesshomaru settled Kagome back onto the pallet and pulled the furs over her. He made to leave, but Kaede cleared her throat. He turned to her with his eyebrow raised once again.

"You should let me put a salve on that arm. She won't be happy if she wakes to see you injured."

He looked down at Kagome's sleeping face, and knew that the old woman was right. He huffed, walked over to where she was kneeling, and sat down in front of her. He thrust what was left of his arm at her. She looked at it with an assessing gaze and began rifling through jars of herbs and medicines. As she began to apply the salve she tentatively began to speak to him.

"She may be able to heal that. Regrow it, I mean. She's very strong. I've seen some miko healers with the ability to regrow limbs and bring people back from the brink of death."

He looked at her with a blank face and she stopped talking. He was still grieving over the loss of his arm and he was hell bent on destroying the bastard that had taken it from him. He would be forever grateful to Kagome if she _could_ regrow his arm, but he didn't know if she was ready yet. When Kaede had finished wrapping his arm, Sesshomaru walked out of the hut with purposeful strides. He had a few errands to run before Kagome woke up.

* * *

Kagome woke to the sounds of chickens, birds and the bustle of small village life. The sound of hammering also filled her ears. She sat up quickly as she remembered the attack on the village. She looked around wildly and found herself in Kaede's hut, bandaged, bruised and sore as hell. She groaned softly and was about to lay back down when she noticed a package lying next to her. She opened it to find a beautiful midnight blue and silver kimono inside. A note was folded and placed on top of the stunning garment. She reached out tenderly and grabbed the note and unfolded it.

 _Wear this_

 _-Sesshomaru_

She chuckled softly. _Not super romantic, that one._ She thought gently. The present was beautiful, though. She unfolded it and began to dress. As she was dressing she noticed considerable pain in her shoulder. She finished tying the elaborate garment and saw her clothes lying in torn tatters in the corner of the hut. She let out a frustrated sigh at the thought that she'd lost another pair of clothes to demons. She picked up the clothes and went to set them in the kimono's packaging when she noticed there was something still inside of it. It was a necklace. It was a beautiful ivory crescent moon shaped pendant. She gasped softly at its beauty and picked it up in her shaking hands. It was smooth and flawless. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

The sound of the door made her jump and she whirled to find Kaede walking into the hut. She walked up to Kagome with a tender smile on her face.

"I'm glad to see you up and about."

Kagome smiled, "I take it these bandages are your handy work?"

"Oh yes, but Sesshomaru helped with the healing process as well. Which reminds me, I have some news for you and I'd like to give you a little advice."

Kagome nodded and sat with Kaede on the floor. Kaede told Kagome how Sesshomaru lost his arm and began to explain to her that other miko's had the ability of healing. She believed that Kagome would be able to heal Sesshomaru's arm if she could focus hard enough. She explained the process to Kagome in detail and Kagome listened attentively. She thought that if there was anything she could do heal Sesshomaru's arm, she would do it in a heartbeat. When they had finished their discussion, Kaede gave Kagome some food and Kagome wolfed it down quickly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten.

As she was finishing, she heard the door open again. She looked up to see Sesshomaru standing in the doorway as devastatingly handsome as normal. Her eyes fell on where his left arm used to be and her heart cracked at its absence. He had probably been in considerable pain last night, but instead of helping himself, he'd looked after her. She smiled softly at him. She was beginning to think she was in love with him. She wasn't entirely sure how it had rushed up on her so quickly, but she knew she'd have to wait to tell him. He'd run away as quick as possible if she told him her feelings now.

He gestured at her empty bowl, "Would you take a walk with me?"

She nodded, set the bowl down, grabbed the necklace off the pallet and joined him outside the hut. She looped her left arm through his right and they walked away from the village, to where Kaede had taken her to practice the night before. When they topped the hill, Kagome sank to the ground and sat gracefully. He sat as well and looked into her eyes. He didn't speak for a while, just took in the sight of her face and azure gaze.

"I'd like to discuss something with you. But before I do, I over-heard there was something you'd like to try." He raised an eyebrow at her and she giggled softly.

"You always did have conveniently good hearing. Yes, I'd like to try to heal your arm. May I?"

He nodded, but concern flashed through his eyes, "Are you sure you're ready?"

She nodded, reached out and removed his haori from his shoulders. He shivered almost imperceptibly at her touch, but she noticed it. A small smile was tucked in at the corners of her mouth. She removed the garment and lifted what was left of his arm. She frowned at the sight. It had been severed cleanly but it must have hurt like a bitch.

"Oh, Sesshomaru..", she trailed off, her voice sounded like she was in agony over the thought of him being injured. It sent warmth through his chest.

She raised her hands to his arm and settled her palms against his bicep and shoulder. She closed her eyes and focused as hard as she could. She envisioned his arm, healthy and intact, as it had been before the battle. She imagined her powers flowing through her hands and down into his arm and pictured her power spurring his body into new growth. She pushed her reiki out, gently and steadily. She heard Sesshomaru take in a quick breath and felt her hands begin to warm.

Sesshomaru watched Kagome and was enraptured in her. Her face was focused and serene. He watched as her hands began to glow and the light seemed to flow from her hands to his arm. As he watched, he saw a new arm begin to grow and materialize where the old one had been. Warmth flooded the area where his arm had been severed and in less then a minute a new, full arm, sat where a nub had been moments before. Kagome withdrew her hands from him but kept her eyes closed. She was terrified that she had failed. She jumped a little as she felt herself being pulled into his lap with two arms.

Her eyes sprung open and she snatched the wrist of his left arm and held it up to her eyes. He chuckled slightly at the look of surprise on her face. She turned to him and smiled deeply, with tears in her eyes. He shook off her hand and wound his arms around her, and pulled her tightly to him. She rested her cheek on his chest and sighed happily. He rested his chin on her head and breathed in her smell. They sat like this for a while. Content not to move or speak. Sesshomaru was eternally grateful that she'd healed his arm. He'd spend eternity trying to thank her properly.

Eventually Kagome drew her head back to look at him, "You said you had some things you wanted to talk about."

He nodded and brought one hand to her face to cup her chin, and the other he used to twirl her ebony tresses around his fingers.

"Do you like the kimono?" He asked softly. She blushed and averted her gaze.

"Yes, it's beautiful. I saw the necklace too. It's the most lovely thing I've ever seen. But, why did you give it to me?"

He searched her deep blue gaze with his own before answering, "It's a... betrothal gift of sorts. A male demon gives it to the one he wants to become his mate once she accepts his offer."

She stared into his eyes, searching for deception. She saw that, for once, all of Sesshomaru's walls were down. He was perfectly serious.

"You want me to be your mate?" Her voice wavered and caught.

"Yes", he said softly and caressed her cheek.

"But... But... why?"

He raised a brow at her and chuckled softly, "You were born to be my mate. My beast knew it the second I saw you. You're powerful, beautiful, and you have more backbone then any human I've ever met."

She continued to choke out stuttered words and he planted a soft kiss on her lips to hush her. She went silent and stared at him.

"But.. you... I-", she broke off abruptly as Sesshomaru leaned down and took her mouth with his.

He'd had enough of her rambling. This was a take no prisoners kiss. She groaned into his mouth as he licked into hers. He nipped at her lip and lowered her to the ground. He began to lick and nip her neck and collar bones. She was breathless and groaning as he sucked on her neck.

She laughed breathlessly, "Okay, enough! Yes, yes, I'll be your mate!"

He chuckled and smiled triumphantly. He took her mouth with his again and kissed her until he thought she'd pass out from lack of breath. She gulped in air as he reached around her to find the necklace in the grass. He draped it around her neck and tied it. She looked down at it, then up to him.

"It's beautiful."

"It's the sign of my people. We are lunar demons and the moon has been our sigil for as long as I remember."

They laid together in silence for a while before Kagome recalled the attack on the village the previous night.

"How do you know that demon, Naraku?

Sesshomaru stiffened at the name, "He's been sending droves of demons into every territory. They've been doing considerable damage to the four great lords lands. It seems he's been searching for the jewel. Unfortunately, he knows that you have it. We have not seen the last of him."

Kagome tried not to worry about it and aimed for humor instead, "Don't worry, Sesshomaru, I'll protect you." He growled at her playfully and rolled her in the grass.

They spent another hour on the hill. She chattered and sang while he watched her. Occasionally she would wander off to pick some wild flowers and he watched her constantly. Her smile was infectious and he wanted to keep her near at all times.

* * *

The next three days passed in a scheduled fashion. Kagome would wake, eat and go to training. Then her and Sesshomaru would spend an hour or two walking and she would explore the forests and fields surrounding Edo. After, they'd return to the village and Kagome would help the villagers with repairing their homes. Sesshomaru would disappear and go on 'errands', as he called them. She wasn't to curious as to where he went; she was sure he was taking care of his duties as the Lord of the West. An hour before sunset, Kaede and Kagome would train until either the sun finally set or until Kagome dropped with exhaustion. Sesshomaru was always present at her training. He liked to watch her progress. She was growing considerably stronger and her control over her reiki was becoming excellent. After training, Kagome and Sesshomaru would stay on the hill and she would look at the stars while Sesshomaru stared at her. She would usually sing to him and gather flowers at night. There was an unusual crop of moon flowers growing at the base of the hill. They only bloomed at night and they were lovely. Their scent was a mixture of roses and lilies and Kagome _loved_ them. On the second night, Kagome tried to teach Sesshomaru how to dance. He was momentarily offended by the suggestion that he didn't already know how to dance.

"I know how to dance, woman", he had said.

Her eyebrows had shot to the sky, "You do? Who taught you?"

"My father, obviously. No Lord of the West can avoid learning how to dance. I'd look like a fool in front of the court if I didn't know."

A wistful expression covered her face, "Of course he did, that wonderful man. He's like a father to me, in my time."

A sweet smile lifted at her lips, "Dance with me?"

He'd gathered her into his arms and they'd danced slowly under the moonlight. He thought it was a bit foolish at first. There was no music and he usually didn't dance unless he was being forced to. But as he'd looked down at her face, full of happiness, he'd had to admit to himself that he was enjoying it. He felt that she belonged in his arms and he remarked that she danced fairly well.

On the third night, he'd told Kagome that tomorrow they'd have to visit his father. She'd seemed excited at the idea until he'd pointed out that Toga didn't know her yet.

"He doesn't know you, little one. He's practical, and I can promise you, he will not approve of me mating a human. I obviously couldn't give a damn, I'll do as I wish."

She snickered at that but her mood had soured at the idea that her father wouldn't approve of her. The Toga _she knew_ loved her and spoiled her like she was a daughter.

On the fourth morning, after training, Kagome bathed then put on another new kimono that Sesshomaru had brought her. It was a lovely silver color with a midnight blue crescent moon hemmed to the skirt. She put her hair up in a traditional style and met Sesshomaru outside of Kaede's hut. They departed and she was surprised when Sesshomaru told her they'd be flying. He gathered her in his arms and took off into the sky. It was exhilarating. The landscapes before her were lovely and she would have loved to stare at them the whole way but she didn't get the chance.

A few minutes into their journey, Sesshomaru began to lecture her on how to act around his father. He told her to be respectful and never speak out. He had pointedly commanded her not to make him angry. He was known for having a volatile temper and he did not like to be talked down to by a woman. Kagome took this in with a frown, wondering when Toga would change into the lovable father figure that she knew.

As they neared the estate, Kagome felt Sesshomaru stiffen and could tell he was mentally preparing himself for the worst. She kissed the stripes on his face, knowing he loved it, and told him everything would work out fine. He knew she was correct, because she was from the future and obviously Toga loved her in the future.

Upon their arrival, servants and guards were dashing about and Toga's general came to greet them at the entrance. He gestured for them to follow and Kagome tried to look meek. Sesshomaru nearly laughed at her, she was failing miserably. They were shown into where the court gathered. His father sat on the throne at the head of the room. Sesshomaru noted with irritation that _many_ of the court were present. He'd have to do something about that.

As they neared his father, Kagome's aura whipped around them both. He turned to look at her and saw she was glaring around at the demons of the court suspiciously. They were glaring back with narrowed eyes and some of them were even growling. Kagome let her aura spread toward them slowly. Some of them blinked and backed away, while others growled louder.

Kagome was startled out of her glaring match by Toga's husky laugh, "What do we have here?"

Sesshomaru regarded his father with respect, "Could we have some privacy?"

Toga's brows raised in surprise, "Absolutely. Leave us."

The demons of the court all rose and walked out, but Kagome heard many of them gossiping about who she could be and why she was with Sesshomaru. Kagome noticed that two women remained. One was human and gorgeous and the other was a stunning inu demoness. She looked so similar to Sesshomaru that she knew immediately she was his mother. Kagome studied her carefully. It was obvious the woman didn't like her. She was practically sneering at her. The dark haired woman was watching her carefully, with a smile on her face. Kagome liked her instantly.

"So, what did you want to discuss?" Toga's voice sounded different to Kagome. It wasn't as weathered and it was more cold then she'd ever heard it.

"This is Kagome. She is going to be my mate. Your permission is _not required._ I just thought to inform you of my decision, as you are still my alpha and king."

Kagome thought that Sesshomaru was being a bit to aggressive with his father, until she saw Toga's face. His face was rife with fury and she could see that he was close to losing his temper. The woman looked pleased but the demoness looked partially sick but mostly murderous over this announcement.

Toga sputtered angrily, "Absolutely not. She is a human! I will not see it done. Make her your mistress. Do the right thing. Mate a demoness and make this, this _child_ , your mistress."

Sesshomaru was immediately angry at the idea and took a step forward, determined to make it clear that Kagome would be his mate. Before he got the words out, Kagome exploded. The scene reminded him of the one with Inuyasha.

"Mistress? Did you say _MISTRESS_ Toga? Are you out of your damn mind! I have far more worth then that you ignorant _dog!"_ Sesshomaru stiffened at the insult. He knew his father well enough to know that Kagome was treading into dangerous territory. He noticed that her aura was whirling around her angrily and that her aura had flecks of crimson. He was about to silence her, but, like an idiot, she continued.

"Him, marry a demoness?" She broke into hysterical laughter. She was _laughing_ in the inu kings face. "He'd be bored to tears and none of those bitches can hold a candle to me or my power you, you ass! And I will be _no ones_ bitch!"

Toga's face had gone from murderous, to surprised, to highly amused. Sesshomaru was baffled at his fathers reaction. What he hadn't been prepared for, was his mother's reaction. She absolutely _lost it._ She began snarling and cursing and she walked toward Kagome with venom in her gaze.

"You _dare_ insinuate that you are more powerful then me, then my people? You _ignorant child!_ I will not tolerate this!"

"Yeah, I do dare to. You think you are more powerful then me? I doubt it. How about this, if you can make me submit with your yoki, then I will not mate your son. If I win, you will back off, and mind your own damn business and let me mate your son without one complaint."

Sesshomaru's mother looked between the two of them, then to Toga, who looked highly interested in the drama before him. Sesshomaru was more then a little concerned about Kagome getting out of this fully intact. She had grown in strength, but he wasn't sure if she was capable of winning. He knew, though, that they would both benefit immensely if she did win. His mother would have endless respect for Kagome and Toga would probably consent to the match immediately. Sesshomaru nodded at them both at the same time Toga did. The two men backed away and the women squared up to each other.

InuKimi, Sesshomaru's mother, had an evil smile on her face and Kagome had a smile that would terrify any demon he knew, with the obvious exception of him, his mother, and his father. He watched closely as InuKimi began to let her yoki flow around her. Kagome began to take deep breaths, like Kaede had taught her, and she began to pull her reiki into herself. InuKimi took this as a sign of weakness and began to push her yoki out faster and harder. Kagome smiled sweetly, causing InuKimi to falter, and in lightning speed Kagome funneled about 50% of her reiki out and toward the demoness with a flash of blinding magenta light. It wasn't enough to kill her, but hopefully enough to knock her on her ass. Kagome blinked once the light had cleared, to find InuKimi sitting on the ground twenty feet away and panting. She had literally been thrown back on her ass. Kagome whooped with excitement and went to Sesshomaru's mother with her hand outstretched.

"My Lady, it was a pleasure. I'm Kagome and I _am_ going to be your sons mate."

Sesshomaru, Toga, and InuKimi all blinked at her repeatedly. Sesshomaru was filled with pride and Toga was astonished. InuKimi knew immediately that this woman would do well with her son. He needed someone to keep him in line, and he needed a woman that could protect herself and wasn't afraid of anyone.

Toga burst out laughing and InuKimi reached out to take Kagome's hand. Kagome helped her up and bowed to the woman.

"I like you, Kagome. I think I will allow you to be with my son."

Kagome smiled brilliantly at her and turned as she heard Toga approach them. Sesshomaru was by her side in a flash and he was throwing a suspicious gaze at his father. Toga walked up to her and grabbed her hand. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed it gently.

"Yes, Kagome. I think we will keep you", Toga said with a genuine smile.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter coming soon.**


	7. Chapter 7: Decisioms to be Made

**Here's chapter 7! I hope you all enjoy!**

 **-KJ**

 _Disclaimer:_ I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!

* * *

Kagome had followed Toga and the two women; with Sesshomaru at her side. She still hadn't figured out who the woman was, but something about her was vaguely familiar. Kagome got lost in her thoughts as she was led through the grand estate. She thought that it had been far easier to convince Toga to let her mate Sesshomaru then she originally figured. All she'd had to do was display her power and Toga was ready to admit her entry into the family. Sesshomaru's mother seemed to like her now, despite herself. Kagome assumed that it was because she had immense power and because she didn't let Sesshomaru fight her battles for her. Kagome's mind screeched to a halt as she realized that someday she'd be mate and queen to the king of the Inu tribe. She gulped audibly. She knew that Toga was still alive and healthy in her time, but she wasn't sure how she'd handle his loss and her new position of rank.

Another thought that had been keeping her awake at night was Sesshomaru's obvious disdain for hanyous. He didn't like them, at all. He had made that very clear, especially where Inuyasha was concerned. She was terrified that if they had children, he'd hate them because they were hanyous. Kagome was also nervous due to the fact that she'd only heard _one_ tale of a miko and a demon mating. The story had given her pause because it had been a lower level demon and a fairly weak miko. The mother had died in childbirth and the child had been born human. The father had abandoned it to a shrine.

Kagome wasn't certain that her children _would_ be hanyous. She figured that with Sesshomaru's considerable strength, their children would be demons. But she had to consider her ever-growing aura. She thought that her children could also be fairly strong mikos. She had thought about it until her head spun. She would have to talk to Sesshomaru about what he would do if they had hanyous. She knew that he would want his heir to be a full blooded demon.

She sighed and looked up. She realized with a start that they had walked into a library of sorts and that everyone was looking at her. Obviously someone had spoken to her but she'd been too consumed with her thoughts. She tried to play it off by turning to Sesshomaru with a brow raised.

He answered the question for her, "She's from a village near Edo."

"Oh", she exclaimed when she realized that they'd asked where she was from.

She leaned back and studied the adults with obvious consideration before her eyes flitted to Sesshomaru.

"I'm going to tell them", Kagome said to Sesshomaru. His eyes widened and his brows rose.

"But first, why don't you make the proper introductions?" Sesshomaru began to nod, but Kagome cut in again.

"I know you, papa Inu. You are Toga, King of the Inu, the great dog general and a pretty damn good father to boot. We are very good friends, where I'm from."

Toga's eyes narrowed a bit, then his face cleared and amusement spread across his features. Kagome turned to the demoness.

"You must be Sesshomaru's mother."

She nodded and had a slightly mocking smile tucked in the corners of her mouth, "My name is Inu Kimi. I am queen of the Inu. Mother to the Prince. I take it then, that we _haven't met,_ where you're from."

Kagome chuckled softly.

"No, we have not. It is a pleasure, my Lady."

Kagome turned to the stunning human woman and raised an eyebrow at Toga.

"This is Izayoi. She is my mate and the mother of my second son."

Kagome wanted to gape openly at the woman, but she kept it together and bowed to her. She raised an eyebrow at Toga mockingly.

"Mate, you said. Huh, how hypocritical Toga. I'd love to hear this story, after that lovely lecture you just gave _us._ "

Her voice was gentle and Sesshomaru was surprised to see his father laugh. InuKimi and Izayoi had stiffened in preparation for one of his explosive tempers. They were equally surprised to hear him chuckle. He grabbed one of Kagome's hands and led her to a settee and sat with her.

"You, young lady, are enchanting. I am curious though, as to how you believe we are already acquainted." His voice was soft but left no wiggle room and Kagome wanted to laugh because she'd heard him sound like that a hundred times before.

She looked to Sesshomaru and he nodded and joined her on the settee. He took her free hand and held it in his. She gestured to the chairs while looking at the mothers.

"You'll want to sit for this. Bear in mind, it might be difficult for you to believe, but I promise, I'd never lie to you Toga."

Toga could sense no deception, only love coming from her. He got the impression that this girl loved him like a father, but he couldn't understand why she would feel this way after such a short acquaintance.

Sesshomaru noticed as Kagome's posture stiffened and he raised a hand to the back of her neck and began to knead the tensed muscles. He nodded at her, motioning for her to begin. Unbeknownst to him, the mothers and Toga were staring at his hand on Kagome like it was a unicorn, or some other rarely seen occurrence. None of them had seen tenderness in Sesshomaru since he was a child, and they were all positively shocked at seeing him display such open affection in front of them.

Kagome began telling them the story of how she'd met Inuyasha, Toga and Sesshomaru from her time. She'd explained everything with as much detail she could. When she got to the portion about the well, Toga noticed that Sesshomaru was watching her with a _smile_ on his face. Toga hadn't seen his son smile in at least a hundred years. He watched Sesshomaru's and Kagome's interactions; noticing how she would lean against him or pick up his hand and toy with it. Sesshomaru would occasionally stop rubbing her neck to play with her hair or to play with her hands. Toga was enchanted with Kagome, but it seemed to him as if she'd bewitched Sesshomaru entirely. He was behaving like a love struck boy, and Toga was thrilled to see it. He hadn't dared to dream that Sesshomaru would find a mate that meant something to him, like Izayoi did to himself. He felt that he was entirely indebted to Kagome for leading his son back to the boy he'd been in his youth, before the hardness had set in.

Kagome finished the story upon her meeting Sesshomaru at the sacred tree. Her face changed and she looked to be considering whether or not she should tell them something else. All things considered, Toga thought her story was a bit outlandish, but he knew that the well in those parts had particularly strong magic, and if the well had pulled her through to this time, then it had to be for a reason. If she had anymore insane things to tell them, Toga was prepared to listen and believe her.

Kagome noticed that Izayoi was staring at her with obvious disbelief and Inukimi had begun to pace the room. Izayoi looked distraught that Inuyasha would do such things and Kagome felt bad having to be the one to tell her.

Toga was still holding one of her hands and Kagome saw that he believed what she was saying. She figured she should explain everything about Naraku as well, in hopes that Toga could help them.

"Toga, do you know the demon, Naraku?"

Toga's face scrunched in anger and his lips flattened into an angry line.

"Yes. I know very little of him. He's been sending demons into our lands in search of the jewel you spoke of. Every time we corner him, he disappears and stays to ground for weeks. Why do you ask?"

"He's after me. He wants the jewel and I believe he'll stop at nothing to get it. He nearly burnt the village to the ground trying to get it from me. Could you try to find out more about him? I've had a bad feeling that he's getting closer day by day. And despite the growth in my powers, I don't know if I can defeat him. "

Toga nodded immediately, "I will do everything I can to get rid of the nuisance. I can't have him hurting my sons mate, for any reason. You're pack now, Kagome."

Kagome smiled brilliantly and Toga kissed the back of her hand again. In a burst of emotion, she threw her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. He chuckled and hugged her back. Kagome heard Sesshomaru huff softly and she released Toga and laughed softly at Sesshomaru. He snatched her free hand back from his father and Toga chuckled in amusement.

Everyone looked like they had questions for Kagome but Kagome stood and joined Izayoi and grabbed her hands gently.

"I'm sorry you had to hear about Inuyasha this way. When I saw him a few days ago, he was so different from how I knew him. Can you tell me what he was like when he was younger?"

Izayoi nodded blankly, "He was such a dear boy, always running around and trying to play with everyone. Many people scorned him for being a hanyou. He tried to play with the other demon children and the human ones, but no one would have him. As he grew he had an all consuming desire to find a way to be a full demon. As far as I knew, he's never hurt anyone weaker than him and he's never hurt anyone without a good reason. I can't imagine what came over him. He went missing fifty years ago. I'd heard he was spending time with a woman, but no one was sure. I can't understand how he could change so much."

Izayoi's voice trailed off, and Kagome wondered if something had happened to make him the way he was in her time. She couldn't compare the boy his mother had explained and the man-child she knew. Something wasn't adding up.

Sesshomaru cleared his throat and Kagome looked up at him.

"If we don't leave soon, you'll miss your training session."

Izayoi and InuKimi looked like they were about to protest when Toga broke in, "That's alright. I have some research to do on this Naraku, and training should never be sacrificed, for any reason. Come visit us again soon, Kagome." He rose and took Kagome's hands in his. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and she threw her arms around him in a hug. Izayoi hugged Kagome and InuKimi, never having been a particularly affectionate demoness, shook Kagome's hand with a smile on her face.

After their goodbyes had been given, Sesshomaru lead Kagome out of the back of the house and onto the grounds. Kagome saw that there were lush gardens and she yearned to walk through them, but she knew Sesshomaru wouldn't let her miss her lesson.

Sesshomaru gathered her into his arms and pulled her into a searing kiss that left her breathless. Kagome realized that Sesshomaru had brought them into the air during their kiss and she peered over the gardens as they began to fly back to Edo. Sesshomaru's voice broke through her thoughts.

"You were marvelous today. I was surprised at my father's reaction to you."

She chuckled softly, "I told you, he loves me. Though I think he wasn't quite expecting my little outburst. He's never said anything like that to me before, and I felt positively explosive hearing him talk about me like an object."

Sesshomaru chuckled softly, " I guess you don't like being told what you can and cannot do. I can't say I disagree with the notion. I'm not particularly fond of taking orders."

Kagome jolted at his words and he looked down at her with curiosity.

"You said that exact sentence to me on the day I fell through the well." She regarded him curiously before leaning up to his face and kissing him aggressively. He chuckled softly against her mouth but she ignored him and kept trying to convey to him the depths of her feelings.

They flew quickly and talked on the way. As they neared the hill where she'd been training, she saw Kaede already standing there, waiting for her arrival. They landed and Kagome apologized profusely for being late, and they began the training session. They worked until the sun went down and Kagome went with Kaede to the village to retire for the night. After flying for hours, training twice in one day, battling with Inukimi and talking with Toga and the mothers, Kagome was exhausted. Sesshomaru seemed mildly annoyed that he was being denied her company, but he didn't voice his complaints. He knew she was tired.

Kagome settled into the hut and began to drift off. After a few hours of sleep, she awoke panting and terrified after dreaming that Naraku had captured her and was torturing her for the location of the jewel. Kagome tried to fall back to sleep but her heart was pounding in her chest and she was restless. As she was about to get up and go for a walk, Sesshomaru entered the hut looking around alertly, before settling his gaze on Kagome. He held his hand out to her and she took it gratefully and followed him outside. He led her to the hill and she sat down and raised her head to look at the stars. Sesshomaru sat down behind her and wrapped his arms around her. As she leaned back and settled into his arms, her heart rate calmed and a feeling of peace stole over her. She felt Sesshomaru's voice rumble through her back as he spoke softly at her ear.

"What happened?"

"I had a nightmare. I'm okay, though. Everything is perfect now", she stated quietly as she leaned on him heavily.

He seemed as if he wanted to ask her something, but he let it be. Kagome figured that now was as good a time as any to ask him about his feelings about the possibility of their children being hanyous.

"Sesshomaru, I need to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest with me about your opinion."

He raised a brow at her, "Have I ever been dishonest with you, Kagome?"

She shook her head and began tentatively, "If we were to ever have children, there is a chance they would be hanyous. I don't know if I could handle it if you hated our children. Would you accept them, if they _were_ hanyous?"

Sesshomaru stared down at her incredulously. He plucked her off the ground and turned her to face him. He settled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Kagome, I do not hate all hanyous. Just Inuyasha", he looked past her and toward the sky, considering how much to tell her. _All of it,_ he decided. She'd been honest with him, he could return the favor.

"When I was a boy, my father and my mother were together. They did not mate because there was no affection between them, but they ruled over our people as a couple, because that is how it has always been done. As I started to become a man, I noticed my fathers absence more and more. One day he came to me and told me he'd met a human princess in a village not far from our home and that he was in _love_ with her and that she was carrying his child. He told me that she was going to be his mate and he demanded that I be _nice_ to her. You met her today, Izayoi. After that he brought her into our home and my mother was condemned to the worst gossip and treatment from the court. They thought that she couldn't keep ahold my father. No one blamed my father though, because he was a man and they thought that he was within his rights to have whatever woman he wanted. So my mother has had to live with that woman in her house. When Inuyasha was born, my father didn't leave the house for a year. He was always with the little brat. He was spoiled and got everything he'd ever wanted. My father had always treated me with neglect. He left me with trainers and tutors and he had never shown an ounce of interest in me, except for wanting to know if I was progressing in my training to become the Lord of the West. After about fifty years, Izayoi approached my mother and after some fighting and yelling they decided that they would _share my father._ I believe some affection has grown between the three of them. I've always hated Inuyasha, though. He'd had everything I'd wanted as a boy. A loving mother and doting father and he was never put through training for days on end without food or water. He was never left alone for months without seeing his mother or father. And he's become an entitled little bastard since then. He's never learned the value of respect. The only person he respects is my father."

Kagome knew that this was the longest she'd ever heard Sesshomaru speak and he wasn't likely to ever speak that much ever again. She threw her arms around his neck and hot, fat tears slid down her cheeks. She'd never known how much he'd suffered as a child. It was probably why he was so cold and distant with everyone.

"About twenty years ago, he came to me and apologized for treating me so poorly. He knew that I blamed him and Inuyasha for my mother being embarrassed. He told me that he wanted to start again, and this time as a father. I told him that I didn't need a father anymore, I was a man now."

Kagome gasped and leaned back to look at him, "Sesshomaru! You better tell him you've changed your mind. That man has been looking out for you for hundreds of years and he loves you dearly. You stubborn man!"

He chuckled softly and his brows were raised, "I'm inclined to obey, but only because I saw with my own eyes how he treated you today. I will not tolerate the mistreatment of my mate."

She smiled up at him and he nuzzled her throat. She knew this was a sign of affection and submission in the inu and she would cherish it until the day she died.

"To answer your question, though, it doesn't matter to me if our children are hanyou. Half of them will be you, and how could I deny any piece of you?"

Kagome wanted to squeal in delight. That was the most romantic thing he'd ever said to her. She threw her arms around his neck again and hugged him tightly. They sat for a while in silence before Kagome felt an incurable urge to play with Sesshomaru's hair. She didn't know how to ask, or if he'd allow her to, but he had said that he wouldn't deny her anything.

She scooted around him and he looked at her with mild amusement. She sat behind him and pulled him back to lie in her lap. She started combing through his hair with her fingers and massaging his scalp.

She began to sing an old folk song that her mother had taught her. Kagome studied Sesshomaru's face and watched with pleasure as his eyes began to droop. When they'd closed and his breathing had evened out, she knew that he was asleep. She sat for thirty more minutes and braided his hair until something out of the corner of her vision caught her attention. She stopped singing and turned her head to find what had caught her attention.

A small white demon was flying into the forest and heading toward the well. Kagome tried to identify it and realized it was a soul collector. Her mother had told her that they were small spirit demons that ferried souls to the next world. In some cases, the demons could link themselves to a being and would collect souls for them. Kagome watched as a few more appeared and headed in the same direction. Kagome's curiosity was peaked and she gently put Sesshomaru's head on the ground and began to follow them. She cloaked her aura and scent as Kaede had taught her and made her way into the forest.

She recognized the area they were in and realized that she was heading toward the sacred tree. What she found there was mind blowing. She hid behind a large tree and watched the scene unfold before her.

A woman was sitting against the sacred tree, and Kagome _recognized her._ She was identical to the woman that Kagome had seen having sex with Inuyasha in his apartment. She _had_ to be the same person. Kagome saw that she was talking with someone and she inched closer to be able to see and hear better. She nearly squeaked when saw that the woman was talking to Inuyasha. She leaned a bit closer to hear them. Inuyasha was speaking frantically.

"Kikyo, are you haunting me, or could it be that you're alive?"

"I am not haunting you. This is real. An odd demoness revived me and told me that Naraku pitted us against each other. He changed himself to look like me and attacked you, and changed himself to look like you to attack me. After he left, you grabbed the jewel and I shot you down, thinking you had betrayed me. I sealed you to this tree and then I died. My love, all I ever wanted to do was see you again and ask you if you truly would have become human to be with me."

Kagome stifled a gasp and listened intently for Inuyasha's reply.

"Of course I would have. I went to meet you, to make the wish and you attacked me."

"Do you still love me Inuyasha?"  
"Of course I do, Kikyo."

Kikyo reached behind her back and grabbed a skin that had been filled with a sloshing liquid. She extended it to Inuyasha.

"Then drink this, and we will be together, forever this time."

Inuyasha eyed it for a few seconds, then grabbed it and downed the entire thing. Kikyo watched with an evil grin on her face and Kagome's mind was spinning with confusion.

When Inuyasha had drained the liquid, he dropped the container. Kagome watched with horror as Kikyo thrusted her fist into Inuyasha's chest and wrenched his heart out. Inuyasha didn't make a sound or move an inch. Kagome saw that the bonding beads around his neck shattered as soon as his heart was removed from his chest. Kagome held back a gasp, _he can't be bound when he has no heart._

The air next to Kikyo began to shimmer and a man appeared next to her. Kagome flinched in terror as she recognized the man. It was Naraku. Kikyo held Inuyasha's heart out to him with a smile on her face.

"For you, my love. This idiot gave it to me willingly."

Naraku laughed and it sent shivers down Kagome's spine.

"He should be a valuable tool in the wars to come. He will be a great spy in the Western house. This will make it so much easier to get the jewel from the girl. Everything is set. In two days time, our plans will move forward. We will capture the girl and torture her for the jewels location. If she doesn't tell us, we will kill her beloved Sesshomaru."

Fury and terror tore through Kagome. She was shaking with the effort it took to keep herself hidden.

"She will give it to us. I will ensure it my love." Kikyo's voice was slimy and slithery and Kagome couldn't believe that people thought Kagome was her reincarnation.

 _Poor Inuyasha,_ Kagome thought. _No wonder you're a monster. The woman you loved tore your heart out and is using you as a puppet._

As Kagome digested their plans, she knew she had to find a way to get back to her time before they could touch Sesshomaru. She knew there was only one person she could trust to help her, and immediately she understood where that damn book had come from. She had written it and given it to Toga.

Kagome backed away slowly as the two continued speaking. When she was far enough away she began sprinting back to the village. She entered Kaede's hut in a flurry and Kaede woke at once.

"I need you to make me something. Immediately. Can you make me two spells? Strong spells. I need one that will erase me from someone's memory. And I need another that will restore the memories fully. It needs to be able to last for at least 500 years. It can't fall apart or go bad. Can you do that?"

Kaede looked at Kagome in surprise and worry. She nodded quickly and got to work looking for herbs and enchantments.

"I need parchment, quite a lot of it! And something to write with", Kagome spoke quickly.

Kaede pointed at a table in the corner and Kagome rushed to it. She began to write all of her and Sesshomaru's encounters as she remembered them in the book. She'd practically memorized the thing, so it wasn't difficult to pore her heart out into the words now that she _knew_ they were about her and Sesshomaru. The ten piece poetry set that she'd been enamored with had been her writing their love story to give Sesshomaru _something_ to keep her memory alive. She needed him to have something that would trigger his memory without giving everything away. She needed him to remember pieces of her so that he wouldn't go to anyone else, so that he'd wait for her.

As she finished jotting it all down, she yanked her necklace off and grabbed the midnight blue kimono that Sesshomaru had given her. She used a knife to slice a piece of the silk off and then she cut a piece of her hair as well. She looked around frantically for a small package or box. She spotted a small box that had herbs inside of it. She dumped the herbs into an empty jar and waved it in the air at Kaede.

"Can I have this?"

Kaede's eyes were wide and she had sweat on her brow, "Yes child. When you're done over there, I need your help with the finishing touches on this remembrance spell."

Kagome nodded and put the necklace, silk and her lock of hair in the box. She rushed over to Kaede and looked at her wildly.

"What do I need to do?"

"Lay your hands over mine and infuse your love with your aura. Push it into the spell."

Kagome closed her eyes and did as she was told. She thought of how Sesshomaru had held her as they'd danced under the moonlight and how he'd kissed her to shut her up when he'd asked her to be his mate. Tears leaked down her face as she prayed he'd be at the well waiting for her when she tried to go back to her time.

Light flashed through the room and Kagome knew it was done.

"When you want to seal the box, recite the sealing incantation I taught you then tap the box. He will be the only one who can open it."

Kagome looked at Kaede alertly, "How did you know it was for him?"

Kaede's face lit up with affection, "Child, who else in this world do you love enough to leave, even if it's only for his safety."

Kagome burst into tears and threw her arms around Kaede and thanked her over and over again. Kaede patted her back, handed her both spells and chuckled.

"Go, child. Do what you must."

Kagome hugged her one last time, put the cake like spell into the box and dashed off to the hill. She found Sesshomaru and nearly wept with happiness at the sight of his peaceful face. She snuck up to him quietly and cut a piece of his hair off and tucked it into the box. Kagome backed away quietly, while tears ran down her face like rivers. She turned and ran back to the village, grabbed a horse and took off toward Toga's estate.

She cloaked herself and the horse as they traveled and she was frustrated to find the journey took an hour longer on horseback. When she arrived at the estate, she tied the horse off to a tree and ran to the entrance. When she approached the building, a guard held out his hand and asked her what she wanted.

"I am Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru's mate. I demand to see Toga."

The guard had obviously been told about her because his brows shot to the sky and he showed her in immediately. She was led to a parlor and in minutes Toga was there greeting her. He took in the sight of her. She was disheveled and she looked exhausted.

"What is it child? What's happened?"

Kagome spilled everything she'd overheard from Naraku and Kikyo. Toga's face grew more concerned as she elaborated about Inuyasha.

"I realize, now, why he is such a monster in my time. Kikyo ripped his heart out. They're using it to control him. They said they would kill Sesshomaru if I didn't give them the jewel. I have to leave and go back to my time. I have a spell that will make Sesshomaru forget me, but I have one that will make him remember me. It's in this box. In five hundred years, after I fall through the well, I need you to give him this, so that he will remember me." She handed him the box and held up the parchment with their story on it.

"This is all of our encounters written in poetry. I need you to write some of Sesshomaru's history so that he will relate to the book. I think if he reads it, it will help him to remember me without giving him all his memories. In my time this is his favorite book. I need you to make _sure_ that you give it to him before I meet him."

Tears were rolling down her face and she considered the crimes against Inuyasha, "Concerning Inuyasha; don't throw him out or kill him. I think he's still in there somewhere and if we can get his heart back inside him, he might go back to normal. They intend to use him to spy on you, so do not trust him with anything important. Can you do this for me, papa?"

Toga's eyes were wide but he nodded and drew Kagome into a hug.

"Everything will work out, my daughter. We will defeat him. I will be awaiting your return on the other side of the well, I'm sure."

His smile was sincere and Kagome felt her heart breaking. She didn't want to leave them all, but she _knew_ that they would be on the other side of the well when she returned. Kagome got up to leave but turned back to ask Toga a favor.

"Could you have someone bring me back to Edo? If I'm not back before Sesshomaru wakes up, he'll tear the countryside apart looking for me."  
Toga chuckled and walked toward her, "I'll take you. Come."

As Toga flew them back to Edo, Kagome's mind worked over time trying to find a way to restore Inuyasha's heart and kill Naraku and Kikyo. Kikyo had been 'revived' and Kagome thought there must be a way to reverse it. She'd have to find out the particulars of her 'revival' when she got back to her time. Hopefully Toga would have some knowledge of what had happened.

When they touched down Kagome hugged Toga and went to bathe and change before Sesshomaru woke. She found him sleeping soundly on the hill and tears trailed down her face. She laid down in the grass and curled against his side and cried until she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Kagome spent the next two days training, researching how to restore someone's heart, and trying to act normal around Sesshomaru. She knew that he could tell that something was wrong but he didn't ask. On the seventh night that she'd been in Edo, she took Sesshomaru to the well and sat with him next to it. They looked at the stars and chatted. While Sesshomaru was distracted by the view, Kagome slipped the spell that would make him forget her into a small flask that held sake. When he turned back to her, she smiled sadly at him.

He could sense the change in her mood. She had gone from wistful and happy, to sad. She looked into his eyes and brought her hand to his face. She caressed his stripes gently with her thumbs and gave him a gentle kiss. As she leaned back she handed him the flask of sake.

"I got it from the village. They said it was very good. You should try it."

"I don't normally drink spirits of any kind."

She chuckled softly, "Please try it, for me."

He huffed and raised the drink to his lips. As he swallowed it, she whispered to him and he felt warmth shoot through his body.

"I love you, Sesshomaru."

She watched with tears rolling down her face as he began to blink drowsily. In a few seconds he was asleep against the side of the well. Hot, huge tears streamed down her face. She lowered her mouth to the moon on his forehead.

She whispered against his skin before kissing the small moon, "Goodbye for now, my love."

She grabbed the flask and dumped its contents on the ground the turned to the well. Her vision was blurred by hot tears and her frame was racked with shudders as she wept. She sat on the edge of the well and swung her feet to dangle in its opening. Without giving much thought to it, she pushed off of the edge and jumped into the well.

The blue and magenta light flowed around her and in a few minutes she found herself at the bottom of the well. She looked up and saw the ceiling of the well house. She burst into wracking sobs. She was filled with competing emotions. Part of her was thrilled to be back in her own time and back to _her_ Sesshomaru. Part of her was filled with fear at the thought that he might not remember anything. Her thoughts were anarchy in her head.

Her mind screeched to a halt when she felt a pair of warm arms slide around her and someone's lips at her throat. She snapped her head up to find that it was Sesshomaru with her in the bottom of the well.

She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest. He kissed every available inch of her; her throat her face, ears, nose, even her eyelids. He kissed her tears away and once she was calm he pulled her into a ravaging kiss. Her tongue fought for purchase and he growled with pleasure into her mouth. He nipped at her lower lip and she groaned.

They broke off and she was panting and he spoke to her menacingly, "You are not leaving my side _ever again."_

She burst into giggles and nodded her head jerkily. He pulled her as close as he possibly could to himself, took in her scent and sighed into her hair.

 _She's back. She's really back._

She leaned back to look at him and caress his face. As her gaze wandered over him, a frown hitched at the corners of her mouth. He was disheveled and he had massive dark circles under his eyes.

"You look like you haven't slept in a week."

He managed to look slightly guilty, "I haven't"

She frowned at him, "You need to take care of yourself. What have you been _doing_ all week? You look like you've been running through the forest like a crazy person."

He looked at her with affection clear in his eyes, "I have missed you. And to clarify, I _have_ been running through the forest for a week. I couldn't control myself when you left."

Kagome watched him choke the last statement out like it was torture. She laughed and ran her thumb across his stripes.

Kagome was about to ask him if he remembered everything when she heard a voice interrupt. It was her mother.

"Are you two going to come out of that well? Or should I just go away?"

Kagome blushed deeply and began to rise. Sesshomaru kept his arms around her and leapt out of the well with her in his arms. She turned to her mother and gave her a hug.

Her mom patted her back, "I'm sure you two have _a lot_ to talk about, so I will leave you to it. Meet me at Toga's tomorrow around noon. We'll go over what we know of the situation."

Kagome raised a brow at her mother and flitted her eyes between her and Sesshomaru. Her mom left and Kagome approached Sesshomaru with a smile on her face.

"Will you take me to the sacred tree?"

He didn't answer, he just picked her up into his arms and carried her to the base of the tree. She walked toward it and set her palm on its surface and closed her eyes. Peace flowed through her and she opened her eyes and smiled at the tree. She turned to find Sesshomaru watching her carefully. As she approached, he wrapped his arms around her.

"This is where we met. Do you remember?" His voice was deep with unexpressed emotion.

Kagome leaned back to stare at him. She nearly shouted in her excitement, "You remember? The cake worked? Oh my god!"

He chuckled at her and pulled her back against his chest, "If you ever try to run from me again, I'll find you. Know that there is nowhere you can go where I won't find you."  
Tears sprung into her eyes and she wanted _badly_ to tell him how much she loved him but she was afraid he wouldn't return it.

Sesshomaru led them to a bench near the tree. He sat and pulled her into his lap. He reached into his pocket and showed her the betrothal necklace. Tears began to flow down her face at the sight of it.

"Do you still want it?" His voice was soft but Kagome could feel his nervousness.

Kagome felt her tears begin to fall harder and she lifted her hand to twine it with his, the betrothal necklace caught between their palms.

"Of course I still want it. I still want _you._ "

Kagome heard his sigh of relief and he separated their hands so he could tie it around her neck. He pressed his hand over the small moon where it rested against her heart. He could feel her hearts' wild beating.

"You are never taking this off again."

She nodded at him and lifted her head to kiss him. The kiss would have leveled mountains. It started slow at first. He cupped the sides of her face with his hands and stroked the remnants of her tears away with his thumbs. He delved his tongue into the warm, wet cavern of her mouth. She began to search every inch of his mouth with her delicate, wet tongue and Sesshomaru's arousal began to take over his body. He gripped her tighter to him and tore his mouth from her to feast on her neck. Kagome was aching with need. She wanted Sesshomaru's hands and tongue _everywhere._ He licked and nibbled at the soft flesh that covered her pulse the way he knew she liked and she mewled softly. He licked up from her collarbone to the shell of her ear and she shuddered in pleasure.

He pulled her head back so he could look at her. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"Shall we go home?" His voice was deep and pleasure filled and Kagome _knew_ what it would mean to go home with him. Her eyes widened and a smile grew on her face.

"Yes. Let's go _home._ "

* * *

 **I hope, as always, that you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for some steamy romance headed this way.**


	8. Chapter 8: There's no place like Home

Hey everyone. My apologies for the premature update. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA. THIS CONTENT IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!

* * *

Sesshomaru drove in silence and kept stealing glances at Kagome. She'd drifted into sleep about thirty seconds into the drive. A small smile was tucked into the corners of his mouth as he thought of how she'd fallen asleep mid-sentence. She was exhausted after the physical and emotional journey she'd been through in the last week. He sympathized. The last seven days had been nothing short of torture for Sesshomaru. He hadn't been able to transform back into his human body for nearly five days due to lack of control, which had never happened to him before. He'd relived the last five hundred years on a loop but now he had the painful knowledge of being left by Kagome; tricked by her. At first, he'd been furious with them both, furious because he'd trusted her and furious because she'd left him. After the initial shock wore off, his father had told him Naraku's plot to obtain the jewel. He was planning to torture it out of Kagome and if that didn't work, he'd kill Sesshomaru, then once he had obtained the jewel, he'd kill Kagome as well.

Sesshomaru had realized that she was right to leave when she did, though it still felt like a knife to his heart. He had wandered for the last five hundred years, searching for something. While under Kagome's spell; he'd thought that he'd been searching for more power. With his head cleared of her magic, he realized he'd been searching for her. He'd scoured every inch of Japan in the hopes of finding the elusive something that would make him complete.

Toga had explained that Sesshomaru was in love with Kagome. He had denied it immediately. His father began to explain the obvious signs, but Sesshomaru had mentally pushed the thoughts down. As he looked at her, though, sleeping peacefully in the passenger seat, he began to wonder if he was in love with her. He had certainly been feeling more emotions than he'd ever remembered, and all of them were centered around her. She'd made him feel again. He'd felt empty without her near him, empty for the past five hundred years. She was a perpetual mystery and he wondered if he'd ever fully understand her. He had a lifetime to try.

As he pulled into the parking garage, Sesshomaru scanned the area with his yoki for threats. Finding none, he got out, rounded the vehicle, and removed her from the car gently. As he walked toward his apartment, our apartment, he reminded himself, he thought about the night of the full moon.

He'd been grateful that Kagome had been out of harm's reach, but fear had settled into his heart at not being able to protect her. His beast had full control of him that night and they'd stayed by the well house howling into the sky until the sun had risen. As the full moon had set, Sesshomaru had taken off at full speed toward the countryside. He'd kept running for days on end until he'd finally felt that he could handle returning to 'civilized company'.

When he had returned, his father had explained things in a bit more detail, but he hadn't spilled his knowledge of Naraku yet. Toga had said that they must wait for Kagome to return before they started to make plans. On the sixth day, Sesshomaru had become frantic about Kagome's return and had sat outside the well house until she had appeared at the bottom of the well.

Hearing her sobs had sent a visceral ache through his entire body and he'd rushed to her instantly. Her scent had surrounded him and all of his muscles had relaxed at once; she's home. He'd thought it over and over again, barely believing the truth of it. Peace had settled into his marrow as he realized that she was truly in his arms.

He clutched her tighter against his chest and walked into the apartment. He made his way to their bedroom and arranged her gently on the bed. She curled to her side and Sesshomaru saw that she was having some difficulty getting comfortable in her kimono. Why had he given her the damn thing? Now he knew how uncomfortable they were, but at the time he hadn't considered if it was comfortable. He'd thought she'd look good in it, and all ladies of that time wore kimonos.

He rolled his eyes at himself and went to his closet. He grabbed a long shirt and walked towards the bed. Slowly, gently, and very carefully, he peeled away the layers of Kagome's kimono. His eyes widened as he realized that she was naked underneath. He tried to shake all of his erotic thoughts out of his head and pulled the shirt over her head delicately, trying not to wake her. He was mildly amused to find her as docile as a rag doll. She was so tired that she hadn't stirred once while he was dressing her.

Seeing her limp with exhaustion, with a smile on her face, made warmth spread through his entire body. He got off of the bed and stripped out of his clothes. He tugged on a pair of fresh boxer briefs and climbed onto the mattress with her. He pulled her into his arms and covered them both with blankets.

Sesshomaru watched Kagome as she slept. Occasionally he'd run a hand through her hair or kiss her forehead. A sense of peace had overcome him at the knowledge that she was with him and she was safe. After Kagome had slept for a few hours Sesshomaru heard her heart rate accelerate. Her heart had been beating in a soft pattern for hours but Sesshomaru noticed that it began to pick up aggressively. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she began to toss in her sleep. Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her more tightly and she began to struggle as if she were trying to get away from him. He leaned his head down to her ear and tried to calm her.

"Kagome, wake up little one. Kagome. Wake up, little love."

She continued to toss and turn, oblivious to his efforts. Sesshomaru pondered over how to wake her and just as he'd decided to push a bit of his yoki into her, she began speaking frantically in her sleep.

"No, Sesshomaru! Don't hurt him! Don't hurt Sesshomaru," her voice was soft but he could hear the distress in it.

Sesshomaru's mind raced as he began to realize that she was dreaming of someone hurting him and it made her distraught. He had mixed emotions coursing through him. He was thrilled that she was concerned about him, but he was not happy that she was having nightmares. He laid his hand against her chest and pulsed a tiny fraction of his yoki into her, hoping to wake her up.

Kagome sat bolt upright and almost headbutted him. Her breathing was erratic as her oceanic eyes flitted around the room. Sesshomaru ran his hand down her back, trying to soothe her nerves. Her gaze finally settled on Sesshomaru and silent tears streamed down her face. He kissed her forehead.

"Nightmares."

It wasn't a question but Kagome nodded anyway. He pulled her off of the mattress and into his lap and stroked her back as he held her tightly. Her breathing started to even out and eventually became even. Sesshomaru heard her heart begin to slow and soon it returned to its regular soft pitter patter. Once she was calm, she turned in his grasp and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She nuzzled into his neck and sighed happily.

"I'm so happy you're here." Her voice was soft and Sesshomaru felt pleasure singe his being.

"You'll find it extremely difficult to get rid of me now", Sesshomaru's voice was low but Kagome could feel it rumble through his chest and into her body.

Kagome raised her hands to his hair and combed through the silky tresses gently. Her face was serene and Sesshomaru noticed an intent look in her eyes. She continued to run her hands through his hair for a moment and then trailed her them down his scalp and over his neck. Her hands traveled gently down to his shoulders and chest. She caressed him ever so carefully and Sesshomaru felt his heart rate pick up. She followed the path of his stripes down his shoulders and to his hands, her fingers skimming along his skin with intentionally slow dexterity. She traced the lines back up his arms and down his chest. She took a minor pause from her gentle exploration to run her hands up his chest. She was marveling at his extensive muscles. He was cut and toned and it was magnificent.

He could be a model. She chuckled inwardly, He should be a model.

She continued her gentle exploration by bringing her hands to his finely muscled back and perusing over the hard muscles. Kagome felt them tense at her touch and one look at Sesshomaru's face confirmed her silent inquiry. His face was drenched in pleasure and his eyes were glued shut. He was highly enjoying her perusal. She began to feel a hard pulsing beneath her and she glanced down to see that Sesshomaru was hard for her. Kagome's face flushed in pleasure. She'd caused the great and powerful Sesshomaru to get an erection with just a few minutes of gentle caressing.

She let her hands wander up to his face. His eyes opened slowly and she saw that they were crimson around the edges. She brushed her fingers over the beautiful magenta stripes on his face. She reached up to the intricate moon just above his brow. She couldn't decide if it was lavender or blue, but it was beautiful. She caressed it lovingly. She used gentle force to guide his head down to hers, but she knew that he was doing the work. She couldn't make Sesshomaru do anything.

As his mouth touched hers, a fire tore through her. It was different with him in her time. When she'd fallen through the well she'd adored the prickly demon but she loved the Sesshomaru he'd become. Her Sesshomaru understood her. Her hand wove into his hair as she tried to pull him closer. She wanted him as close as physically possible.

He returned her advance aggressively. He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her tighter against him. His mouth delved into hers and she moaned at the feel of his silken tongue caressing hers. Their tongues played harmoniously between them as Sesshomaru's hand began to wander over Kagome's body. He ran his hands down her back and to her ass. He kneaded her backside tenderly, growling in satisfaction. She moaned at the feel of his hands and ground into him. He lifted her and hitched her up higher on his body. He leaned back slowly and they descended so that Kagome was straddling him, resting on his abdomen. She took advantage of the situation and kissed him hungrily while her hands resumed their investigation of his person. Her hands began to wander lower and lower, and Sesshomaru knew where she was headed.

Her hand dipped inside of his boxers and she wrapped it around his cock. He groaned deeply at the feel of her delicate hand surrounding his aching flesh. She was mildly surprised to find that he was very large. Of course, he's big, everything about him is perfection, she thought wryly.

She began to pump him with increased pressure and Sesshomaru felt pleasure race through his veins.

Kagome felt white-hot need scorch through her everytime he growled or moaned and she began to grind rhythmically against him. Sesshomaru could feel the need radiating off Kagome and when she started to grind against him, all rational thoughts scattered and only two thoughts remained in his mind. I need to taste her, I need to be inside her. He felt like he would expire on the spot if he didn't get inside her, but he also wanted to play with her a bit longer. In the blink of an eye, Sesshomaru had flipped Kagome on her back and he started to trail kisses down her body. Kagome felt Sesshomaru's fingers gripping the edge of her shirt. She was about to help him remove it when he tore it in half. She removed the scraps of the offensive clothing and focused on Sesshomaru's head. He lowered his mouth to one breast while he began to caress the other with his hands. He kissed around the tiny rose colored nipple and kneaded her breast with his hand. Kagome felt pleasure building in her, pushing her farther into ecstasy and she moaned his name. Hearing his name on her lips, he gave her what she wanted. He latched his mouth around one nipple and began to gently tug and caress the other with his hand. She groaned louder and Sesshomaru drank in her sounds. She was grinding into him again and Sesshomaru's sliver of control began to melt.

He kissed a path down her stomach and to her navel. He dipped his tongue into the small cavern and Kagome convulsed in unexpected delight. She gave out a breathy groan and Sesshomaru relished her reactions to him. He continued traveling downward, licking her soft porcelain skin. He found that she the skin between her thighs was drenched with the scent of her arousal and he couldn't contain a grumble of pleasure at the sight and smell of her. He brought his fingers to her sex and rubbed near her clit gently with his thumb. Kagome convulsed in pleasure and let out a series of breathy moans. Sesshomaru felt his need ramping up to new heights and leaned in to lick her without any preamble.

He lapped at her with his silken tongue and danced around the tiny bud that brought her pleasure. She began to grind into his mouth and he brought a finger to her entrance and massaged her gently. He eased a finger into her and felt her grip him tightly and he growled against her flesh. Her moans reverberated through the room and he gently inserted a second finger into her. She writhed underneath his mouth and she shook in pleasure. She was agitated and she wanted to come so badly. He played with her for a while more, avoiding her clit just enough to keep her wanting. Sesshomaru felt as she clamped down tighter on his fingers and shook underneath his mouth. Figuring she'd had enough torture, for now, he latched his mouth over her clit and flicked it over and over again with his tongue until she came in raptures, moaning and sobbing in pleasure. As she began to calm he crawled back up to her face and held it with one hand, directing her eyes to meet his.

"Do you want this?" He'd asked it softly, praying that she said yes.

"Yes, yes, yes." Her voice was drenched in pleasure and need.

"Are you sure, Kagome?"

"Yes, Sesshomaru. Now, please. Make me your mate, I'm ready." She was nearly whining, she was consumed with her need. She needed him inside her, she needed him to make her his mate.

He growled in pleasure, tore his boxers off and centered his cock at her opening. He inched inside her slowly, looking for pain on her face. As he was about a quarter of the way in, pain replaced pleasure on her face, and he knew it was time. He thrusted into her fully, quickly and held still. She gasped in pain and the sound was agony to Sesshomaru's ears. It was the most difficult thing he had ever done, staying still inside her. She was exquisitely tight. She was clamped around him tightly and he was fighting the urge to begin thrusting into her with abandon. He brought his thumb to her tiny pearl and began to caress it gently. She started to moan and grind upward into him, pushing him deeper inside her. He brought his mouth to her breast and tugged and licked her nipple. She arched her back and moaned in pleasure at the sensation.

He slowly started to thrust inside her and he felt her walls grip him tightly. She brought her hands to his hips and pulled him to her faster, obviously wanting him to speed up. He obliged her and began a punishing rhythm. She moaned loudly and Sesshomaru was growling in pleasure. Heat was beginning to gather inside him and he knew he was close. He brought his thumb back to her center and massaged it while his other hand wrapped around her head and bared her neck to him. He felt as she descended into another orgasm and heard her resounding cry of his name. Her walls were gripping him tightly in her climax and he was yanked into his own with a growl of ecstasy. He lowered his head to her neck and sank his teeth into her tender flesh.

Kagome arched her back as she felt his fangs sink into her. It sent her into another climax and her eyes sprung open as she felt her aura spin around them. She watched as his aura joined hers and melded into one. The new aura was silver and it was immense.

She felt him climaxing inside her and she groaned at the feel of it. Sesshomaru lowered himself to the mattress and pulled her on top of him. She rested her head on his chest as he ran one hand through her hair and the other down her naked back. She shivered at the pleasurable sensation of his warm hand on her back. Her eyes began to droop but before she could doze off, Sesshomaru spoke.

"You need a shower. We both do."

He rolled them so that he was perched on top of her and gave her a deep lingering kiss. When he broke off she sighed affectionately. He got out of the bed and Kagome tried to crawl under the blankets but Sesshomaru caught her ankle with a chuckle and pulled her toward the edge of the mattress.

Kagome groaned in mock agitation.

"Let me sleep", she groaned.

He laughed deeply, "Shower, then sleep, Kagome. You haven't had a proper shower in a week."

She was about to agree with him when she was lifted off the bed and slung over his shoulder.

She squealed in surprise and kicked to steady herself. He clamped an arm around her calves to halt her movement and she giggled relentlessly. He carried her into the bathroom, kicked the door closed and locked the door before setting her on her feet. He moved to the shower and turned it on, setting it to the proper temperature before he turned and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He motioned to the shower and she chuckled softly and walked to the shower willingly.

His shower was divine. It had a massive waterfall shower head that could easily bathe two people at once and Kagome relished the heat of water. The shower could have fit six people in it. She stood happily under the showers spray and let Sesshomaru wash her. He rotated her this way and that and lifted her arms to scrub every inch of her. When he was finished he began scrubbing himself but Kagome snatched the loofa from him quickly.

He raised an eyebrow at her but she ignored him as she began to scrub his chest and abdomen. He quickly became obedient to her mission and she washed him happily. When they were finished, they climbed out and Kagome watched as Sesshomaru towel dried his hair. He reached for the brush on the counter but Kagome grabbed it and sprinted back to the bedroom. He followed her with amusement on his face. He found her sitting against the headboard with the brush in her hand. She pointed at the spot in front of her and he complied with a single raised eyebrow. He laid down with his head in her lap and she brushed his hair and began to sing. Peacefulness stole over him and Kagome watched as his eyes began to droop.

She knew that he hadn't slept in a week but she also knew that if she played with his hair and sang to him, he would fall asleep quickly, and he did. He was asleep in under a minute and Kagome continued to brush his hair until it was returned to its silken glory. She spent a few extra minutes braiding it and she found a hair tie on the bedside table. She finished with his hair, set the brush on the table, turned the light off, climbed into bed beside him and pulled the covers over them. She looked at his peaceful face until she fell into deep slumber herself.

* * *

Sesshomaru woke to find that sunlight was streaming into the room and he knew that they were going to be late to meet his father. He couldn't care less though, because as his eyes surveyed the room he found Kagome sprawled out across his bed on her stomach. Her face was serene and Sesshomaru surveyed her body, searching for the changes that their mating would bring to her. Usually there would be minor changes, such as her nails growing into claws and she would grow taller and her hair would be longer. Sesshomaru noted that along with those changes, her body seemed to be a bit more shapely. He noted that her backside was more round and her hips were volumptous, more so then yesterday. Her face was more angular and her jaw line was sharpened now. He saw that she had his mark on neck and he growled with pleasure.

He rolled to her and trailed his hand down her back. Kagome moaned softly in her sleep and he began to knead her muscles. She groaned again and lifter her head, her eyes blinking open. She turned to him with a smile on her face and he noticed she had a fleck of gold in each of her eyes now. He trailed kisses from the base of her spine to her neck. She groaned happily and turned over to her back. She looped her arms around his neck and stared at him with keen interest. A smile flitted across her face and Sesshomaru raised a brow at her.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked her gently.

For an answer, she reached around his neck and pulled a long braid into view. She had braided his hair while he was sleeping.

"It looks nice in a braid." Her voice was soft and she looked at him affectionately, waiting for his response.

"You can braid it any time, but I draw the line at cutting my hair."

She chuckled softly and turned to look at the clock. Her face spasmed when she saw that it was nearly noon.

"Holy shit, Sesshomaru. We are going to be late."

He shrugged and pulled her back toward him. She had been attempting to get out of bed but he'd grabbed her around the waist and dragged her back to him. He rolled her to her back, pinned her down and peppered kisses across her face and neck. Giggles errupted out of her and she was begging for mercy.

"Seriously, if we're late your dad is going to be pissed, and my mom. Do you want to piss my mom off?"

"I fear no human, not even your mother."

"God you sound just like you did 500 years ago", she chuckled softly and tried to wiggle her way out from underneath him.

Mildly annoyed, he stopped trying to hold her down and collapsed on her with his full weight. She let out a huff as she tried to push him off of her. An idea popped into her head and she wondered if it would piss him off. Deciding that he'd get over it, she pressed a finger to his chest and zapped him very lightly with her spiritual power. He yipped lightly in surprise and she took the opportunity to roll out from underneath him. She ran to the closet, snatched one of his shirts out and headed to the kitchen with speed.

She'd expected him to come after her growling and angry, but she was pleasently surprised when he strolled out of the bedroom in only joggers with his braided hair running down his back. He had a small nearly imperceptible smile tucked in a the corners of his mouth. She nearly groaned just looking at him. He was perfect. She busied herself making tea and toast while Sesshomaru leaned against the counter and watched her. He was content not to do anything but gawk at his mate as she flitted around the kitchen. She walked around the kitchen comfortably and her hair swayed around her. It was at least six inches longer then it had been yesterday, but she hadn't noticed quite yet. He watched as she kept pushing it back behind her ears and he chuckled with amusement.

She turned to look at him with curiosity in her gaze. He walked up to her and Pulled her hair around to the front and showed her how long it was. Her eyes widened and she flicked her hair behind her and wound her arm behind her back to grab it between her fingers. Her hair brushed her hips and she knew for a fact that it hadn't been that long before. She turned to him with a million questions on her face.

"Go look in the mirror", he said softly, brushing her cheek with his hand.

Kagome was off in a shot and Sesshomaru chuckled at her. He could feel the excitement in her aura and heard her inhale sharply. He strained his ears to hear her response. Her heart picked up and he heard her whisper.

"Oh. My. God."

Sesshomaru figured she'd have questions so he walked toward the bathroom slowly, giving her time to adjust. As he entered the room, she whirled around to face him. He walked to stand behind her and turned her toward the mirror. She looked up at him incredulously.

"I could hear your foot steps _before_ you came in here. What happened? Is this all from the mating?"

He nodded and stroked the side of her newly angular jaw with his thumb. She turned her face this way and that to get a better look at herself. When she tilted her head to the side her eyes locked onto their mating mark and she blushed deeply. He moved his hands up to rest next to her eyes.

"Look at your eyes."

She leaned in, eyes wide and gasped as she saw the slivers of gold in them.

"They're beautiful." Her voice was breathless as she tried to reaquaint herself with her body.

"The mating will bring about many changes in you, physically. It will also ensure you age at a rate similar to my own. You will probably live as long as me, maybe longer, considering your young age. You'll also have substantial growth in your reiki. I'm not sure if you'll be able to use my yoki, but that's how it usually works with demon mating. We will have to experiment with it."

She kept her gaze focused on the mirror, slightly nodding at his words until her stomach growled loudly. He chuckled at her.

"You need to eat. And you've made us later then we already were", he cocked a teasing brow at her.

She stuttered in indignation at first but then noticed the look on his face, "A joke. God I missed hearing you joke. You had _no_ sense of humor before you met me."

He chuckled softly and swatted at her behind, effectively coralling her to the kitchen. They ate quickly and headed into the bedroom to change. Sesshomaru noticed Kagome's shoulders slump as she realized she had nothing to wear. He steered her to the closet and opened the door and she gasped in surprise. There was an entire half of the closet cordoned off for her use and dozens of outfits hung waiting for her. A small dresser had been put in and inside Kagome found there were new leggings, shoes, shirts, socks and as she reached for the bottom drawer Sesshomaru cleared his throat.

"You should open that one... later. Or at least wait until I leave the room, or we will get _nothing_ done today."

She hitched up an eyebrow but nodded at him. Curiousity was eating her alive. She wanted to open that damn drawer. She rifled through the other drawers, taking a quick inventory of all her new items.

"Did you pay for this? Or was it Toga?"

"He payed, I picked it all out. I wanted to buy it for you, but he wouldn't let me. It is rare that I am not allowed to do the things I want, and I must admit I am still irritated about it."

As he spoke the irritation became plain in his voice and Kagome turned to see his face. He was indeed irritated. His face was pulled into a deep scowl and she could have _sworn_ on her life that he was pouting at not being able to spoil her.

"You will have hundreds, maybe thousands of years, to spoil me. Can't you let him do it just once?" He sent her a baleful glance and she chuckled at him.

"Stop pouting and get dressed! I want to open this damn drawer."

He got dressed, but he didn't stop pouting. She noticed that he'd put on a type of training uniform and she searched for one of her own.

"Are we training today? Do I get one of those? Where are we training? Will I get to-", she was cut off from her rambling questions as Sesshomaru picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.

He tossed her onto the bed gently and reached into the closet to find the training outfit he'd bought her. Seeing a dress tucked in the corner of the closet, he grabbed that too.

"Wear them both. The dress will cover the outfit. You've got ten minutes to go through that damn drawer and get dressed."

He stalked out of the room look mildly annoyed and Kagome didn't know what could have riled him up so much. The second the door closed behind him, Kagome was up and pulling the drawer open. The inside was filled to the brim with lacy undergarments. There were panties, thongs, bra's and even a handful of lingerie. Kagome blushed slightly as she imagined Sesshomaru in an lingerie store picking out every single piece of the garments. Quickly she realized what all of his vague comments had meant. He had said that if he saw the contents of the drawer they'd be distracted all day and he had been noticebly riled up about the drawer. She wandered if he had infact picked the items out, or if the contents of the drawer was still unknown to him. She'd be _delighted_ to find out.

Quickly she snatched a pair of the panties out and a bra, slammed the drawer shut and began putting on the training outift. It consisted of a pair of skintight pants that seemed to be armor, but were very light and a tank top that was made of the same material but was more heavily armored. It was still very light, but it was obvious to Kagome that its purpose was to protect the vital organs. The entire outfit was black and Kagome thought it looked stunning. It stuck to her curves in all of the right places and she noticed that her ass looked exceptional in it.

As she finished with the last belt on the training outfit Sesshomaru came into the room. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her with wide eyes. Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Do you like it?"

He gulped audibly and nodded. She grabbed the dress off the bed and pulled it on. As it covered her body Sesshomaru's focus started to come back. She grabbed her training shoes and a pair of sandals from the closet and made her way out of the bedroom. As she passed him she layed a hand on his shoulder and chuckled.

"Are you coming, or not?"

He growled under his breath as she walked away from him, "Not yet."

She laughed and kept walking, "I heard that."

He rose a brow, remembering that her hearing had heightened in the last twenty four hours. He followed her to the kitchen and he grabbed the keys as she pulled on her shoes. As they approached the door she moved infront of it so that he couldn't open it. She smiled up at him innocently. He cocked a brow at her and her sweet smile widened.

"Can I drive?"

His brows both hit the ceiling and he considered letting her drive. On the one hand, his car was ungodly expensive and he didn't want her to wreck it and not only maim his car, but hurt herself. On the other, she was asking him to extend his trust and he would be damned if he'd let her down. He sighed tautly and extended the keys toward her. She snatched the keys out of his hand, ripped open the door and dashed to the elevator, squealing in happiness the entire time. A small smile lit up his face as he closed and locked the door and followed her to the elevator. They rode down in relative silence but he couldn't ignore Kagome's fidgeting. She was nearly jumping up and down in excitement and he rolled his eyes at her. The second the doors opened, Kagome took off toward the car. She groaned as she saw it and ran a hand across its exterior. Her groan sent lightning through Sesshomaru's body and he growled quietly in pleasure at the sound.

Her gaze flicked to him and he knew she'd heard him. She unlocked the car and climbed in gently. She groaned again at the sight of the beautiful machine at her fingertips. Sesshomaru fought back a growl this time and climbed in beside her. She adjusted her seating and turned the car on. When it purred to life she groaned heavily.

"God, this is going to be fun."

Sesshomaru shot an alert glance at her, conveying that she would be careful or suffer the consequences. She chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Don't be a drag. We haven't even started moving yet."

He nodded stiffly and Kagome pulled out of the parking space and made her way to the exit of the lot. She looked both ways and when she was sure she was clear she slammed her foot to the gas pedal and raced out onto the street. She began to bob and weave through traffic and Sesshomaru was growling slightly. He was mildly terrified she'd crash and hurt herself, but mostly he was enjoying seeing her so carefree and having obvious fun. She whipped in and out of traffic going much faster then necessary, then pulled onto the exit that would take them out of the city limits and to the Western Mansion. As she pulled off of the exit and onto the open road, she floored it and laughed in delight. Sesshomaru switched his attention every few seconds, staring at her happy face, then glancing alertly back to the road, praying they didn't crash.

The drive took twenty minutes less then normal, though Sesshomaru wasn't surprised. Kagome had driven like her hair was on fire and she'd loved every second of it. They pulled into the driveway to find Toga and Kagome's mother standing out in front of the house. Kagome sped up the driveway and whipped infront of the house. Sesshomaru saw Toga's brows raise, obviously wondering why Sesshomaru would be driving like he stole the car. His gaze softened as he saw that it was Kagome that stepped out of the driver side. She closed the door and took off running. She practically lept on Toga, surrounding him in a tight hug. He laughed jubilantly and encircled her in his arms.

"You, are the best dad anyone could ever have. How did you manage to keep him in line all this time? How did you manage to keep it all a secret?"

Kagome released Toga from her clutches and he watched as her face fell. He raised a brow at her in question.

"Where's Inukimi and Izayoi? Are they... are they still alive?"

His face softened again and a smile covered his face, "Yes, and they're both here. They wanted to see you."

Her face lit up immediately and she felt Sesshomaru retrieve her from his father and pull her into his arms. She chuckled at him.

"Always so jealous."

He grunted at her softly and she chuckled again. She noticed that everyone was just standing around and looking at each other and she raised a brow.

"What are we waiting for? Take me to the mothers! I miss them."

Toga laughed again and motioned toward the door, "By all means."

They made their way into the house and Toga led them to the study. When he opened the door they were instantly assaulted by Inukimi and Izayoi. They had snatched Kagome out of Sesshomaru's grasp and were hugging her. She was sandwhiched between them and they were flinging questions at her while she laughed with tears running down her eyes.

"I'm so happy you two are still alive. I don't know what I would have done if you'd been gone when I got back."

They paused their questions and Inukimi looked slightly offended, "Me, die? Ha! Child it would take much more then 500 years to finish me off."

Izayoi chirped in as well, "We couldn't die before seeing you again. Absolutely not."

Kagome chuckled and pulled them into a hug again. Hearing someone clear their throat they looked up to see Toga watching them with obvious amusement.

"As exciting as this all is, we _do_ have things to attend to."

The women scowled, huffed, and unwillingly released Kagome from their clutches. The moment she was free, Sesshomaru snatched her back from them. He ran a hand through her hair and kept an arm tight around her waist. Kagome chuckled at him softly as he led her to a couch and everyone sat down to begin a long conversation.

"Okay, Kagome. Tell us everything that _you know_ about Naraku, and we will go from there and fill in the holes", Toga's voice was commanding but soft and it made Kagome feel safe.

"Okay, so to start with, I am the holder of the Shikon No Tama. I believe that it became a part of me when I was born. As far as I know, I am the reincarnation of a priestess named Kikyo. Apparently, Kikyo and Inuyasha were in love and she was going to give him the jewel to become human so they could be together. On the day that Inuyasha was going to make the wish, Kikyo went to meet Inuyasha, an imposter, Naraku, disguised himself as Inuyasha and fatally injured Kikyo and took the jewel. He then took the jewel back to where Inuyasha could get ahold of it, then he pretended to be Kikyo and attacked Inuyasha, telling him that she never loved him and would never have given him the jewel. Inuyasha got angry and attacked the village and took the jewel but before he could get far, the real Kikyo sealed him to the sacred tree and took the jewel. Kikyo died that day and the jewel was burned with her. Apparently someone resurected her because when I went into the forest one night I found her and Inuyasha together and she said that she had been brought back to life. She gave Inuyasha a potion and told him that if he drank it that he would be with her forever. He drank it without thinking and then he went totally void. His face reminded me of how he is now. Before I could do anything, Kikyo reached into his chest and ripped out his heart."

Kagome surveyed the room and saw a mixture of emotions crossing everyone's faces. Kagome's mother looked sad, Inukimi looked angry and Toga looked positively murderous. As she turned to Izayoi, Kagome saw many emotions covering her face. Tears streamed down her face and she seemed sad and also relieved. She looked up into Kagome's eyes and a small smile tugged at her lips.

"That means all these years, all the times he's been awful, it wasn't really him. Someone was controlling him."

Kagome realized that Izaoi was feeling hope. She thought that if they could return Inuyasha's heart that maybe he'd become the sweet boy he once was. Kagome silently prayed that she was right. Kagome turned to look at Sesshomaru and saw that he was pensive and that it was laced with anger. She threw him a look that meant that they'd discuss it later and he nodded slightly.

Beginning again where she'd left off, Kagome's voice was filled with anger, "Then Naraku appeared beside her. She greeted him as a lover, and I almost vommited on the spot. He said that Inuyasha would be a good spy inside the Western house and that they could use him in the battles to come. Then he said that their plan to get the jewel was moving forward. He told her that they'd torture me until I gave them the location of the jewel and that if I still didn't give it up they'd... they'd kill Sesshomaru."

Inukimi snarled and Sesshomaru's eyes shot to his mother in surprise. She'd never been particularly effectionate and he hadn't seen her since the day he'd brought Kagome to meet them, and now he wondered where the hell she'd been for so long. He'd seen Izayoi occasionally but their encounters hadn't been nearly as frequent as before she'd met Kagome. His mind was racing with questions but Kagome began talking again and he put them on the back burner. _For now,_ he thought venomously.

"I knew I couldn't let that happen, so I made a plan to erase myself from Sesshomaru's memory and came back here. Apparently the spell worked splendidly because I'm here and he rememebers everything. As for Naraku, all I know is that he's evil, he wants the jewel, he's got control of Inuyasha, and the bastard has to die."

Smiles crept over the parents faces and Sesshomaru watched Kagome with pride in his eyes.

Toga began gravely, knowing that what he had to say would send Sesshomaru into a rage. "Fortunately for us all, I was not idle these past five hundred years. I did some digging and found out that Naraku wasn't always a demon. He was once a human, and an evil one at that. He became ill and went to a priestess, hoping to be saved. As you can guess, it was Kikyo. Apparently they fell in love and she tried everything in her power to save him. He was dying, though, despite her efforts. On his deathbed, he begged for life and apparently made a deal with some demons. They took his soul and kept him alive in his body, but gave him use of their powers. They were all fused into one being, not entirely human or demon. He is a hanyou of sorts. I believe he still has a human heart, though, which should be a big help in trying to kill him. Apparently when he fused with the demons, the hut he was in was scorched and burnt to the ground, so Kikyo had assumed that he was dead. When he had finally learned to control his new power, he went back to find her, only to find that she had fallen in love with a hanyou and was giving _him_ the jewel. In a rage, he attacked them both, as Kagome described and tried to take the jewel. Apparently he failed to retrieve the jewel and it is said that he regretted killing his love. The rest of the story, though I couldn't uncover."

Sesshomaru felt his anger rise. _Five hundred years and that's all he could figure out?_

Kagome felt Sesshomaru's anger rise and she squeezed his hand. He looked down at it and then up to her face, and he calmed visibly. He looked around at the parents, waiting for someone to say they'd found out more, and to his jubilance, Kagome's mother was the one that pitched in.

"Luckily, our shrine kept a scrupulous record book about historical events. I found it the other day after Sesshomaru had run off. Apparently there was a witch who could create bodies out of clay, bones and ash from the deceased persons grave. Naraku sought her out and took her Kikyo's ashes and demanded that the witch resurrect her. She did so, which pulled Kikyo's soul out of the afterlife and into the fake body. Kagome, when you were born, some of her soul was wrenched out of her and came into you. I remember that day very well. After you were born a ball of soft white light flew into the room and decended into you. It was soft and pure and I knew that it wouldn't hurt you, but I didn't know until now that you were her reincarnation. But you're not just her, you have you own soul, and a bit of hers as well."

Kagome double blinked and tried to process the information she'd just gained.

"So do we know where Naraku is now?" Kagome's voice was soft and Sesshomaru could sense the slight fear she was feeling

The parents gazes shifted nervously, knowing that neither Kagome, nor Sesshomaru would be happy with that answer.

"Okay, so that's a no. Well do you know his human name? Maybe when our societies merged he disguised himself and started going by his human name again. It would be a good way for him to hide."

Toga's eyes got big and then he scowled, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Well that's obvious. You're a demon. A human held little signifance to you until you met Izayoi and even then, you didn't take interest in any other human until you met me. My guess is that the idea that he'd been human was just another fact about him and not a clue that you would consider investigating."

He scowled at her and rose to go to the library, "Kagome, come with me. We will have a look at the books and hopefully we'll find something pertinent."

Kagome rose to follow and her mother did as well, her gaze shifting nervously, "I'll just... join you."

Her gaze rested on Sesshomaru and she jerked her head towards Inukimi, obviously trying to tell him to talk to her.

He grunted, a bit irritated. Very little had been accomplished in five hundred years and there was a great deal to do and he was irritated at his mother. He didn't want to talk to her. She'd ignored him for 500 years and hadn't been a great mother before that either.

Before he could make an excuse and leave, he found that he was sandwhiched between Inukimi and Izayoi. He scowled deeply and flitted his gaze between the two obviously distraught women. His mother usually had a mask that rivaled his own so it was slightly disturbing to realize that she was _willingly_ showing emotions. It was apparent to Sesshomaru that neither of the women knew where to start, and he was getting annoyed just sitting there waiting for them to speak.

As he was about to get up and walk away, Kagome poked her head back in the door with a scowl on her face, "Don't even think about it. You stay there and talk to your mothers. They love you, so you will sit there and listen to what they have to say."

His gaze narrowed on her but he relented with a sigh and a nod and waved her off with his hand. She smiled brilliantly, melting his heart, and closed the door behind her as she left.

"Someone get on with it then, since I've been damn near _commanded_ to endure this." His voice was gruff and agitated but he knew his mother could sense his anxiousness. He'd never had a heart to heart with them, either of them. It was especially uncomfortable for him because he realized they were going to have a heart together, the three of them.

"I want to apologize", Inukimi began gently, stunning Sesshomaru into silence, "I know I wasn't a good mother. I know I didn't give you the love a growing boy needed. Your father and I wanted to drive every soft natured habit out of you so that you would be fierce and perfect, and I am glad to see that we didn't succeed. That woman has done things for you that no one could have. That does not excuse my actions. I know that you needed love and affection growing up and I know how hard it was for you to watch Izayoi and your father dote on Inuyasha. I hated them at first, but when you brought Kagome to us, I realized why your father loved Izayoi. There is something special about Kagome and Izayoi that drew the two of you in, and I cannot blame you if your beast chose a human, just as I cannot blame your father. It hurt, but with time and a bit of discussion, we've come to terms with everything. That being said, I know I owe you an explanation for being gone these past five hundred years. I simply could not watch you run yourself to ground in Kagome's absense. Your father forbade me from bringing her up to you and I missed her influence on you dearly. I decided that I would wait until I could tell you all of this to see you. I don't lie, and you know that. I couldn't see you daily and not tell you about her, so I stayed away. And god's I'm thrilled she's back. She's magnificent for you."

Seshomaru sat there in shock, not having a clue what to say. His mother had never spoken more then two sentances at a time to him. And she had never been sentimental toward him in any way. Before he could form a coherent thought, she shattered his mind with her next words.

"I love you son, though it may take you a while to believe that. You are the greatest thing I've ever done. My greatest achievement is being your mother."

Now Sesshomaru's mouth was dropped open and he was staring at her with a mixture of alarm and confusion. Izayoi reached up and gently pressed his mouth closed with a chuckle.

"I also want to apologize. I know it wasn't easy for you to watch your father choose another woman. I could have made it easier on you and tried to bond with you, though I know you would never have allowed it. I know I have no right, but I'm begging you to save your brother. Believe it or not, Inuyasha has always looked up to you. He has always admired your strength and wanted to be just like you. He needs you now more then ever. He needs his brother."

Sesshomaru's gaze flitted between the two women with barely surpressed panic and obvious confusion. His mind was racing.

 _Where the **hell** did all this come from?_

Before he found his words, his mother wrapped her arms around him in a hug. It was the first hug he'd ever recieved from his mother. Izayoi tentaively placed her arms around him as well and he found himself sandwhiched between 'the mothers', as Kagome had been calling them. He swallowed audibly and tried to stand.

"I need time to think." His voice came out roughly and Inukimi could hear the raw emotion in it and she winced. She feared that she had estranged herself from him to the point of no return. He wasn't a forgiving man, at least he hadn't been before Kagome. Inukimi had a tiny sliver of hope that Kagome could convince him to give her a second chance.

The mothers nodded, rose, and exited the study. They walked toward the library and Izayoi heard a small sniffle and turned to see a single tear rolling down Inukimi's face. She quickly folded Inukimi into her arms and wiped the tear away. Inukimi wrapped her arms around Izayoi woodenly, trying to shove her emotions down.

"It's okay. He will come around. Just don't give up. I'll need your strength to get me through whatever happens with Inuyasha."

Inukimi nodded and looped arms Izayoi as they continued to walk toward the library.

* * *

I hope everyone enjoyed. The next chapter and edits will be out soon.


	9. Chapter 9: Delayed

**Hello party people. Sorry it's been so long since I've updated, I've been really busy. I hope you're all doing well. I have been struggling with this story and I need a bit of encouragement. I always welcome ideas and constructive criticism, so feel free to comment. Thank you as always for reading and sticking with me.**

 **-Love, KJ**

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!

 **This chapter has been re-edited and aadjusted. There are minor changes. Thank you for reading.**

* * *

Sesshomaru stood rooted to the spot and mulled over his thoughts. He was absolutely appalled that his mother would apologize and then ask him to forgive her. He'd never considered forgiving her for a second, because he'd never thought she would give a damn. He had always assumed they would be mother and son without any affection or attachments. He considered telling her no, absolutely not. She'd made him miserable for hundreds of years. She didn't deserve his forgiveness, but as he thought of Kagome, he knew she wouldn't take no for an answer. Kagome would insist that he, at the very least, make an _attempt_ to get along with his mother. He sighed deeply, agitated about the whole thing.

Forgiving Izayoi, on the other hand, would be an easy matter. Sesshomaru could wholeheartedly understand the dynamic between Toga, Izayoi and Inuyasha. He hoped that he could lead a similar existence with Kagome, but he prayed his children were smarter and better behaved than Inuyasha ever was. Sesshomaru knew that his mother had been correct; there was no _choice_ for himself or Toga to take the human women as their mates, it was simply a fact. Kagome had been born to be his mate and once he'd accepted it, it was obvious that he'd never had a choice in the matter at all. He knew that it would be a sick twist of fate for him to be suddenly courteous and familial with Izayoi and shun his own mother. The court gossips would eat them alive if he allowed it, which he wouldn't.

With another deep sigh, he sat down in a chair and groaned. He'd apparently come to a decision. He'd give his mother a chance, and gods help her if she failed him. As his mind was becoming clearer, he heard the door open softly and someone padding up to him. He recognized the pitter patter of her soft skin against the floor. He looked up to see her looking down at him with a blank look on her face. She was attempting to read him, he realized with growing amusement. He saw her nose twitch and watched her study his face. When the odd mixture of his emotions registered in her nose, she narrowed her eyes and studied him harder.

He chuckled softly at her, plucked her off the ground and settled her in his lap, "You're going to give yourself a nosebleed concentrating that hard."

She wacked his chest softly, "Hey, don't be rude. I'm trying to learn what all these smells mean."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, "Tell me what you _think_ you're smelling."

"Well, you're obviously a bit distraught, anxious, highly annoyed…", she focused, sniffed loudly and squinted at him, "I'm smelling surprise, a lot of it. There is a very small trace of…. Is that, happiness? Hmm. That must be it, it smells like a sunny day."

She continued to study him while his eyebrows rose, "You're very perceptive for a novice."

She chuckled, "Tell me what happened? I wanted to eavesdrop, but Toga told me no."

She pouted at him and he chuckled. He moved a hand to her hair and stroked it gently while he stared off into space and explained his conversation with the mothers. His voice was bland but he knew she could smell his emotions now, and he knew he wasn't fooling her with his cool facade. When he was finished telling her everything, a small smile was tucked into the corners of her mouth, but a little v was notched between her brows, indicating her confusion.

"You don't sound happy. Your mother wants another chance with you. You should take advantage of it. She's good to me, you know. Remember how nasty and haughty she was when I first met her? Now, though, she seems to realize that not all humans are bad. She cares for me, I can smell it. That must mean something to you."

"It does. I told her I had to think about it, but I realized quickly that you wouldn't allow me to shun my mother."

She looked at him with soft affection and caressed one of his stripes with her thumb.

"Let her try to make it up to you. If she doesn't live up to your expectations, you can go back to ignoring her existence."

"Hn. I suppose I could do that."

Kagome noticed that he was pouting slightly and she chuckled at him and tugged on his braid.

"I do have a question though", she asked while blushing. He nodded at her and she continued, "Are the mothers... _sharing your father_?"

Sesshomaru made a mock gagging noise and Kagome burst into laughter. He settled into a pouty grimace and she laughed again.

"We have things to do. No more sulking."

"I'm not sulking", he grumbled at her.

She leaned her head down to his and captured his mouth in a kiss. He wound his arms around her and pulled her flush against him. She broke off the kiss in a chuckle.

"Your parents are waiting for us. Let's go and we can continue this later."

He grumbled under his breath and she could have swore he'd said 'parents'. She chuckled, grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the door. He rose and walked through the house, up the stairs, and to the library; hand in hand with Kagome. When they entered, they found the four parents gathered around a table with stacks of books and scrolls covering every surface. Their gazes softened upon seeing Kagome and Sesshomaru hand in hand. They turned back to the books they were thumbing through. As Kagome approached the table, her gaze traveled over all the materials on the table.

"I've had an idea", Kagome spoke softly.

Five pairs of eyes lifted to her and she smiled softly, "You all have more experience in the way of researching Naraku. You know what to look for. I've been thinking, you should continue to search for him, while I start researching on how to return Inuyasha's heart to him. I've done my fair share of research projects for school and I know a few stores with links to priestesses. They carry tons of books and I thought I could start looking there."

Kagome felt Sesshomaru stiffen next to her. She saw the looks of surprise on her mother's, Izayoi's, and Toga's faces. She shifted her gaze to InuKimi and saw that she was impressed and she could smell the agitation rolling off of Sesshomaru. He obviously didn't like that she was concerned about Inuyasha, but Kagome didn't care. She was doing this for Izayoi; she deserved to have her son back.

"That's a good idea. If you find anything, let us know", Toga's voice was encouraging and she knew he was giving her leeway, a chance to prove herself.

Sesshomaru butted in, his voice cold and holding a tone of sarcasm, "Well if we're not needed here then, we have other things to do today."

He tugged on Kagome's hand, and none too gently. The parent's had their eyebrows raised and Kagome rolled her eyes at them. Obviously he was irritated with her, with them all. She knew he was mad at her for wanting to fix Inuyasha, she could understand why, as well. He'd been given everything he'd ever wanted and he'd had loving parents and had been doted on. Sesshomaru had never even been hugged by his parents, he'd been trained ruthlessly and kept isolated from everyone that could have cared for him. Kagome sighed, knowing that there would be an argument in their future.

As they were leaving the library Kagome and Sesshomaru heard Toga muttering under his breath, "Tantrum throwing toddler."

Kagome felt Sesshomaru stiffen again and she chuckled softly. She caressed his arm gently and he relaxed marginally. He pulled her down hallway after hallway until they were in the back of the house and standing in front of two massive ornate doors. They were so large that they reached the ceiling where the second floor would end and the third would begin. Kagome stared at them with her mouth open and a dumb look on her face. She wondered how large Toga and Sesshomaru could be in their full forms to need a door this massive. Before she could start really mulling it over, Sesshomaru pushed the doors open with one hand and led her inside.

"Show off", she mumbled quietly.

She expected him to chuckle but he didn't. He stared straight ahead with an angry scowl on his face. He led her to the far side of the room and she took in her surroundings with wonder. Three of the walls were midnight black and the fourth was covered floor to ceiling with mirrors. The room was huge. It could fit an olympic size swimming pool in it. On the far wall there were hundreds of weapons either hanging, in display cases, or on racks. Sesshomaru approached them and gestured to the wall.

"Pick one."

Kagome turned to him with confusion on her face. His voice was cold and his face was blank. She searched their mark to feel his emotions but he was blocking them splendidly. She turned back to the wall with a frown and looked over all the weapons. There were knives, spears, swords, bows, maces, axes and so much more. She eyed a small sword with a very thin blade. It looked light weight and she was drawn to it because it was entirely black, even the blade. She pointed to the one she wanted. He looked it over carefully and nodded imperceptibly.

"That's a rapier. It's lightweight and good for speed. We will train for a few weeks before you actually get to pick it up."

He pointed to the center of the room, "Take off the dress and put on your training shoes."

She complied slowly, wondering what was up with his mercurial moods. He was fine until she'd mentioned helping Inuyasha.

She rolled her eyes at the realization. He was pissed that she was trying to save him. She huffed as she pulled the dress over her head and took her shoes off. She rifled through her purse until she found her training shoes. She pulled them on and turned toward Sesshomaru. He was carrying a massive metal barrel and a few boxes that were stacked on top of each other. She rolled her eyes at him again and his eyes narrowed at her when he saw the movement.

"Just for your information, I will not be taking it easy on you because you are my mate. I will probably be harder on you, in fact. So to start, do ten laps around the room."

Kagome's jaw dropped and she blinked at him repeatedly, "Ten?"

He nodded, his face still cold. She grumbled a bit and took off at an even pace around the room. She knew better than to argue with him about it, he would not change his mind. She continued grumbling and she was doing well until she hit lap seven. Then breathing began to get harder and she was using all of her self control to maintain a good facade. When she finished her laps she wanted to lie on the ground and pant. She didn't, though. She jogged over to Sesshomaru and stood in front of him with her spine straight and her head held high.

"Hn", he grunted at her and pointed to the barrel.

"You will balance on this in a handstand. Once you can maintain it for at least ten minutes, then you will do it with one hand."

She looked at him, dumbfounded. She couldn't do a handstand on regular ground. Let alone on a damn barrel. She turned to the barrel and approached it slowly. She put her hands on it and kicked up and pushed her bottom half into the air. Unfortunately she over pushed and flipped right over the other side landing on her back hard and knocking the wind out of herself. She groaned in pain and pushed herself back up and turned back toward the barrel.

He shook his head at her, "Try again, I will stabilize you this time."

She nodded, irritated and sore, already. They were barely fifteen minutes in and she was sore. She put her hands back on the barrel and pushed off the ground again. Her weight started to go over again but this time Sesshomaru was there and he grabbed her legs and hips and stabilized her balance. Once she was in the proper position he released her. She wavered a bit and then let her body take over. She remained balanced and was sweating with how difficult it was. She was focusing on keeping her balance when Sesshomaru spoke up.

"So, I'm _curious._ Why exactly do you want to save Inuyasha?" His voice was cold but she could hear the agitation in it.

Kagome's balance wavered again and she refocused again to keep from falling.

"For Izayoi", she grumbled out. Even speaking made her nearly topple over.

She felt confusion roll through him from her mark. He circled her and eyed her suspiciously.

"Explain", he growled out.

She huffed at him again, "She lost her son to Naraku and Kikyo." She groaned at the effort of speaking and balancing. Her arms were screaming at her, they were already tired and sore.

"They literally ripped his heart out. How would you feel if it were our son? What would you do? Probably slaughter everyone involved in the entire thing and you- Shit! This is hard!" She groaned again.

"And you would probably stop at nothing to fix him. She doesn't have that luxury. She's just a normal human. All she has is us and our parents to help her. We can't let her down."

He sat in front of her, she could see him in the periphery. He stared at her and wondered how on earth a sweet pure creature like her had lived so long and how he'd managed to get lucky enough to call her his mate. Then guilt began to seep into his heart. He had been sure that she wanted to save Inuyasha because she still had feelings for him. Obviously he was being a jealous lout. He knew he should apologize but he still didn't like the idea of apologizing, to anyone. He needed to swallow his pride though, she was his mate, and she deserved an apology.

He cleared his throat, "It has been ten minutes. Switch to one hand, use your dominant for now."

"Are you fucking kidding me? My arms are screaming right now!"

He growled at her, "Kagome…".

She grumbled and readjusted her balance and went to one arm. She started to fall again and he grabbed her again, stabilizing her balance. She got her body under control and he released her. She kept her balance by a hair, struggling immensely not to fall over.

"I… apologize for being...difficult. I thought you... still had feelings for him..", he trailed off.

Kagome's mind exploded and she shouted at him, "What?" She tried to raise her hands to her face, forgetting where she was. She crashed down into the barrel with her face and they both heard a sickening crack.

"Oh shitfuckdamn!", she howled as she brought her hands up to her nose.

It was gushing blood and she knew it was broken. Sesshomaru was at her side in an instant.

"Oh, damn. This is my fault", he said with mild panic in his voice.

"Yeah, it's your damn fault. How could you say something like that? You know that I picked you, you know that I chose to be your mate! Why would I do that if I still had feelings for him- ow shit, don't touch it!"

He'd raised his hand to her nose to check if it was broken. He'd barely touched her when she'd howled at him. She swatted his hand away and lifted her hands to her nose tenderly. She winced as she placed her fingers on her tender flesh. She began focusing her reiki into her hands and she pictured exactly how her nose _should_ look. She funneled her powers into her fingertips and in a few moments her wound was healed. She was still covered in blood but at least her nose wasn't broken anymore. She poked it gently and winced as she realized that it was still sore. It would bruise like hell and she couldn't wait to see Toga's face when he found out how she acquired it.

She looked up to Sesshomaru and saw that his face was guilt ridden. She smiled at him gently and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Big jealous man, it's not your fault. I was just mad. It's my fault for losing my temper. If I'd been paying better attention and kept my anger in check I wouldn't have fallen. Besides, if you don't get injured during training, then is it really training?"

He chuckled softly and leaned in to kiss her. She wrenched back as his nose touched hers.

"Gentle, damn that hurts. Can we move on from the barrel now? I think we've covered that part pretty efficiently."

He chuckled again, though she could still feel the guilt through their marks. He got up and grabbed a towel from the other side of the room and handed it to her. She started cleaning the blood off of her face gently. He picked up the accursed barrel and took it back to the far side of the room and returned with two long bamboo sticks.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Seriously, like in every bad ninja movie?"

He chuckled and tossed it toward her. She caught it and stood to face him.

"I'm going to teach you the basics of swordsmanship. Once you have the basics down we will move on to more difficult maneuvers and eventually I'll allow you to use a real sword. Eventually."

She pouted a bit and then Sesshomaru launched into the training. After a few hours she was dead on her feet. They'd been training for nearly four hours and she was panting, bruised and her face hurt like hell.

In their last spar, Kagome had tried to corner Sesshomaru, but in the blink of an eye he was behind her and then he knocked her to her ass by sweeping her feet out from underneath her. She stayed on the ground, groaning in misery as he stood above her, scowling down at her.

"You're not even trying anymore. For the last thirty minutes you've been just charging in with no plan."

She groaned again, "Yeah, because I'm exhausted. Listen, love, I'm covered from head to toe in bruises and my attention span is shot. I need food and a nap and-", she was cut off as he covered her mouth with his hand. A smile was on his face as he chuckled at her.

"Okay, okay. That's enough for today. We will train again tomorrow. You're correct, you need to eat something proper. Come with me."

He held his hand out to her and she grabbed it and tried to get up. Her legs wobbled underneath her and she fell to her ass again. She groaned and Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. Crouching next to her, he lifted her up and set her feet on the ground. She swayed a bit on her feet and he wrapped an arm around her waist. She put her arm around him and they began a slow trudge out of the training room. They made their way through the house again and Kagome noticed he had a shit eating grin on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him and he chuckled.

"What's so amusing?" She asked with a hint of irritation in her voice.

He chuckled, "I was just thinking that you were supposed to have been training all last week with Kaede, but you must not have done _any_ physical training."

She wacked him with her free arm. He chuckled again and ruffled her hair.

"Well, not to worry. I'll get you in ship shape. We will now be training twice a day, a minimum of eight hours a day."

She blanched, "Eight hours a day? Holy shit, how can we fit eight hours of training in when I have to work?"

She gasped, "Oh my god, _work!_ I haven't been to work in like two weeks!" Panic started to race through her veins and Sesshomaru flared his yoki out to calm her.

"Don't worry, I called them and told them you were _very_ ill."

She looked at him affectionately and then a thought struck her, "Sesshomaru, do you think I should quit my job? I haven't been in weeks and now I've got training to do and research to start. I don't even like my job, and if I don't quit, I'll be taking time away from you and our manhunt for Naraku…", she trailed off, a million thoughts were rampaging through her mind.

He looked at her with amusement dancing in his eyes, "Do you want my opinion as your trainer, or as your mate?"

"Both, I think."

He looked pensive for a moment before speaking up, "As your trainer I would say you should quit. Then you could focus on your training and research. As your mate I am conflicted. I _want_ you to quit so you can focus on training and research and spend more time with me, but I also know that you don't follow orders. I'd never ask you to give up working for me, that wouldn't be fair. If it were 500 years ago, I'd probably just lock you up in the mansion and never let you out of my sight, but seeing as how we are _progressive_ now, I will tell you that you can do what you like. Within reason."

She smiled at him with tears in her eyes.

"You are so sweet and considerate. I'll quit, it will be the best thing for both of us."

His eyes widened at her but he shook his head and a smile grew at the edges of his mouth.

The two entered the library to find the parents all sitting around a table that was piled high with books. They were all reading and they raised their heads upon their entrance. Concern lit up the mothers' faces and Toga's, but a knowing grin was on Kagome's mothers face. Three of them were next to Kagome in an instant, fretting over her.

Toga was growling softly, "Why do you have two black eyes?"

Kagome chuckled and Sesshomaru looked almost sheepish, almost. He knew his father would be pissed.

"Sesshomaru had me doing one handed handstands on a barrel and then proceeded to ask me if I still had feelings for Inuyasha. Needless to say I got distracted, fell and broke my nose. I healed it, but it didn't seem to take the tenderness or the bruises away."

Toga leveled a hard stare at Sesshomaru and was about to speak when Kagome's mother joined them. She was laughing heartily at the sight of Kagome.

"Kagome, why must you torment Sesshomaru? Toga, no worries, even if Sesshomaru hadn't distracted her, she would have ended up battered and bruised anyway. Since the day I started training Kagome she always comes home with cuts, scrapes, bruises and broken bones. Every time we trained she'd find a way to injure herself. Worry not, she is a walking hazard and nothing can change that."

Toga's face softened and he let out a gravelly laugh.

Sesshomaru smacked his palm to his head, "That explains so much. I knew you were accident prone. Do I have to put you in bubble wrap?" He asked with an accusatory glare and a sarcastic tone. She scoffed at him and the parents all laughed.

"I'll be fine tomorrow, but in the meantime, we are going home. I need a bath and some food. Then a long night's sleep."

The parents all said goodbye and she hugged each one while Sesshomaru stood off to the side conversing with his father. When Kagome was done saying her farewells, Sesshomaru nodded to the three mothers and made his way out of the library with Kagome leaning on him heavily. As they made it to the car, Sesshomaru sent Kagome a sideways glance, "I'm driving."

She was about to argue when she realized she would probably fall asleep on the way home. She shrugged and nodded and he sighed in relief. He settled her in and by the time he was in his own seat, she was asleep. He chuckled at her, _that woman can sleep anywhere._

After he pulled into his parking spot and cut the engine he turned to look at Kagome. The bruise on her face looked really bad and he knew it would take days to heal unless she could find a way to make it disappear. He looked over the rest of her and noticed she was covered in bruises and scrapes and as he recalled, he didn't give her any of them. She'd fallen, tripped or ran into something causing her bruises. He smiled fondly at her and reached toward her to wake her up.

He ran his fingers across her face and she didn't wake a bit. He tried nudging her shoulder and when that didn't work he tried nudging her with his yoki. She still didn't wake and he was starting to get impatient. He finally just ended up poking her in the ribs. He'd forgotten that she'd fallen and bruised her side, so basically he'd just poked one of her bruises. She hissed and looked around wildly before settling her narrowed eyes on him. He held up his hands in a peace gesture.

"You wouldn't wake up so I poked you, but I'd forgotten you have bruises _everywhere._ "

He rolled his eyes at her and she began laughing.

"We're home, let's go."

She nodded and reached for the door handle. Before she could open it, Sesshomaru already had. He pulled her out and she groaned as her body protested. They rode up the elevator in silence and trudged their way to the door. He led her to the bathroom and she looked at him in confusion. He sat her down and turned the bath on.

"Stay here, I have to get something."

She nodded, too tired to argue and waited for him to return. After about five minutes he came back in with at least ten bags of ice. She blanched and reached over the edge of the tub to find the water was freezing. She groaned and shook her head.

"No, no. Absolutely not."

He chuckled but ignored her. He sliced the bags open with his claws and began dumping them in one by one until the bathtub was full of ice water. He pointed at it and she groaned.

"Sesshomaru, no way in hell. I'm already miserable and now you want to make me a popsicle!"

He chuckled but then put on a serious face, "Kagome, your body took a beating today. You're going in that tub one way or another. You're staying in for at least 6 minutes. Preferably ten. It's your choice, do you want to get in willingly, or do I have to toss you in?"  
She groaned, knowing he wouldn't let her out of it. She nodded her head and he smiled at her softly.

"Good girl", he said gently as he lifted her and moved her to the bath. He peeled off her training outfit and left her in her sports bra and underwear.

She hissed in agony as her body submerged in the freezing cold water. She groaned and leveled a glare at him. He looked at her softly and she wanted to punch him.

"Stay here, I'll go make you some food."

She mumbled curses under her breath and he chuckled as he left. She remained in the tub, feeling numb all over. She saw the merit of an ice bath. She couldn't feel the pain in her muscles anymore, but the ice was crisp and biting against her skin. After ten minutes Sesshomaru came in with a fluffy bathrobe and pulled her out. Her teeth chattered and her body shook relentlessly. He dressed her in the robe and rubbed her arms, trying to slowly warm her. She followed him him to the kitchen and he set her in a chair. She sat and watched him finish their dinner and admired his body the entire time. He walked around the kitchen with ease and she felt lucky that she'd managed to make this man her own. She sighed happily and he looked up at her. He tapped his mating mark and she colored as she realized that he probably felt everything she'd just been feeling.

She blushed and tried to distract him, "Can I have chamomile tea?"

He smirked and nodded his head and put the kettle on to boil. He pulled out two mugs and a small box of tea.

"Thank you for training me. I know I'm not the easiest person to train."

He chuckled, "That may be true, but you're my mate and I won't let you go untrained and be at risk. It will get easier eventually and you won't always be so sore."

She grunted a bit and then lit up as he set a plate of food in front of her and some tea. She smiled at it and began eating with renewed energy. He watched her dig in happily while he ate his own food. Her food was gone in no time and as soon as she finished a hiccup escaped her. Sesshomaru laughed, "You ate too fast."

She grumbled at him and more hiccups escaped her. She drank her tea slowly and tried holding her breath. Sesshomaru watched with amusement as she tried multiple techniques to get them to go away. Finally, after fifteen minutes her hiccups were gone and she sighed in relief. He chuckled at her and went to put the plates in the sink. He noticed she was starting to nod off in her chair and he laughed and went to put her to bed. He gathered her into his arms and carried her to their bedroom. He settled her on the bed and she pulled her robe off blindly and climbed under the blankets. Sesshomaru watched as she burrowed into the bed with a smile on her face.

He pulled his clothes off and made his way to the shower. Afterward, he walked into the bedroom to find Kagome passed out sprawled across the middle of the bed. He smiled softly and joined her. After a few minutes he drifted off to sleep to the melodic sound of her breathing.

* * *

The next two weeks consisted of training and research around the clock. Kagome was run ragged the first week. Sesshomaru kept her so busy with training that she slept like a rock every night and he had to drag her out of bed in the morning. He was making her run at five in the morning everyday and at first it was torture. By the end of the two weeks she was beginning to enjoy running with him. He hadn't been lying when he'd said that it would all get easier. The physical aspect was slowly but surely improving. The swordsmanship training was still incredibly difficult for her. She was accustomed to archery and using her miko powers. She was attempting to adjust but she knew that Sesshomaru was getting impatient with her. He was using a mere fraction of his speed and strength and he still trounced her every time. She was getting just as irritated as he was. She couldn't understand why the swordsmanship wasn't sinking in.

Today they had a training session before she went to another shop to look for a book that could help her free Inuyasha. She'd just finished talking to Toga as she walked into the training room. She was surprised to find him sitting in his traditional feudal era kimono in the middle of the room in a meditation position. She raised a brow at him, dropped her bags and joined him. He reached behind him and handed her a package without even opening his eyes. She opened it to find a traditional female kimono. It was gorgeous midnight blue silk with silver swirls covering the ankle and wrist areas. She gasped when she found an intricate necklace at the bottom of the parcel. It was similar to the one he gave her in the feudal era. The new one had a crescent moon with a teardrop sapphire dropping from the tip of the crescent. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Tears filled her eyes and she bent down and threw her arms around him. He chuckled softly and enveloped her in his arms.

"Thank you. It's beautiful."

"You are welcome. I figured it was time to give you a new one. It has been five hundred years. Go change, we are doing something different today."

She cocked her head at him and did as he asked. She checked the doorway to see that the door was closed. She pulled her clothes off and started putting the kimono on. She was almost finished when she got to tying the obi and hit a wall.

"Can you tie this for me?" She looked up to see him staring at her with hunger in his eyes. He didn't answer, he just kept staring.

She chuckled and tried again, "Sesshomaru, can you tie this for me?"

His head snapped up and he looked in her eyes. She saw as he struggled to remember what she said. Eventually he saw her standing there with the obi in her hands. He nodded and rose, looking slightly flushed. He walked behind her and tied the lovely silver sash around her trim waist. His hands lingered a while, running from her waist to her neck. He leaned in and nuzzled her neck before going back to his seated position. He pointed to the spot in front of him and she sat in the same pose.

She cocked her head to the side when she noticed he was staring again, "Is it the outfit? Why are you staring?"

He smiled softly, "That kimono is almost an exact replica of the first one I ever gave you."

She smiled and looked down at it, now recognizing it.

"I've always enjoyed seeing you in traditional clothing. Especially with my native colors."

She blushed and smiled at him. He cleared his throat and put a serious face on.

"I am aware that we have been having some difficulties with your training in swordsmanship so I thought we might be able to try something different today and maybe it will help."

She nodded, indicating she was eager to try anything that could help her atrocious skills.

"We're going to meditate."

She groaned loudly. He raised a brow at her and she looked at him sheepishly.

"My mother has tried to teach me how to meditate but it never went well."

He grinned at her, "Yes well, no offense to Mz. H, but she doesn't know how to properly motivate you."

She cocked her head at him and he elaborated on the exercise, "I want you to rest your hands on your knees and close your eyes. Keep your spine straight. Now, I want you to think of things that make you feel safe and calm…", he trailed off, noticing the little v that was hitched in between her eyes. After a few moments the v disappeared and he saw her relax and her shoulders drop..

"What are you picturing?"

"A river. You're sitting on the bank watching the water flow."

He cocked his head at her in curiosity, "Why does that relax you and make you feel safe?"

"The flowing water is relaxing. It represents change and constants all at once. The river is always there, always flowing, but the water is never the same. One drop of water will never fall in the same place. The rain of today is not the rain of tomorrow, but that river is there today and will be there tomorrow. It relaxes me to know that change is always happening, but something will always be there, they may change slightly over time, but they won't disappear altogether..."

She trailed off as she felt a multitude of emotions flow through her from their mating mark. After a few moments the feeling of serenity washed over her and she continued.

"I feel safe because you're there. No matter how strong I grow, I will always need you to protect me. You're my mate, and I trust you with my life. I know when you're near that I am safe."

A tidal wave of emotion rolled through her and she opened an eye in curiosity. He was staring at her with a massive amount of affection and she could feel what he was feeling. She thought it felt like love, but she wasn't sure. He still hadn't said it but she knew they'd get there eventually.

He cleared his throat and she closed her eye again, "Now picture the ones you love, the ones you want to protect."

She saw her family at the riverside. Sesshomaru, her mother, Souta, Toga, Inukimi, and Izayoi were sitting on the riverbank staring out at the water. Sesshomaru saw as a small smile lit up her face.

"Now, I want you to think of the reason we are doing this training. You're doing this to bring down an enemy, protect your loved ones and to protect yourself. I want you to think this over; is there anything you wouldn't do for them?"

He had barely finished speaking when she answered him, "No. I would do anything to protect them."

Her aura flared up around them and he could smell the determination wafting off of her.

"Now that feeling you're having right now, explain it to me."

"I feel calm, resolved and… strong. Like there are no barriers I couldn't break to get what I want."

"Perfect. I want you to memorize this feeling. I want every bone in your body to remember how this feels, and I want you to remember how you found this. The way you meditated, the things you pictured led you to feel this."

She memorized the feeling with determination and then a steely calm and resolve washed over her and she opened her eyes with a gasp.

"Oh. Wow, this feels… intense…", she trailed off with surprise.

He smiled softly at her, "Now, we are going to start your swordsmanship training again, and this time, I want you to carry this feeling with you. There is nothing you cannot do."

She nodded and they stood and began the training session in earnest. Sesshomaru was pleasantly surprised to find her focus on point and she was learning things at a much faster speed then in the last two weeks. She had more precision and was moving faster then he'd seen her before. She didn't fall or run into anything accidentally during the training. Their training session lasted longer as well. Usually she could only last four hours, but he pushed her to six hours and she didn't complain once. She took every task head on and she was showing impressive improvement.

As he called the training to a close a small smile lit up his face, "You did very well today."

She beamed at his compliment and ran toward him and leapt into his arms. He laughed softly and caught her. She wound her legs around him and encircled his neck with her arms. She bent her head to his and captured his mouth in a kiss. He groaned at the contact. They'd been training so hard that he hadn't been able to have any alone time with her. When they got home she'd shower, eat and pass out and he missed touching her dearly.

He responded aggressively, battling her tongue with his own. She groaned into his mouth and ran her fingers over his marks. He pushed her up against the wall and ran his hands down her body as she let her hands wander into his kimono. She groaned as he nipped at her lip and ran his hand over her clothed breasts. The sensation set her on fire and she wanted to rip his clothes off.

As she was reaching for the tie on his obi they heard someone clear their throat at the door. Sesshomaru growled angrily and unlatched himself from Kagome's mouth to look at the intruder. Toga was standing in the doorway with a shit eating grin on his face and Sesshomaru wanted to punch him in his smug face. Kagome blushed deeply, giggled and hid her face in Sesshomaru's chest.

"Sorry to interrupt son, but Kagome's mother called and said that she called the store that Kagome was going to be visiting and the owner said they might have what you're looking for. She also told me that they close in an hour and if you leave now you can still make it."

Excitement lit up Kagome's features and annoyance mixed with rage were carved into Sesshomaru's face. He growled angrily and released her from the confines of his arms. She giggled and went to retrieve her bag.

"Thank you Toga! I appreciate it, I had forgotten all about my little information expedition."

Toga laughed and wiggled his eyebrows, "I bet you did."

Sesshomaru growled in warning and Kagome turned beet red. She turned to Sesshomaru and kissed him chastely and went to leave before stopping abruptly.

"Shit, we rode together. Can I take your car?"

Sesshomaru nodded, "He can take me home, or I'll borrow one of his cars. I'll meet you at home."

He tossed her the keys and she ran out of the room. Toga looked to Sesshomaru with the shit eating grin on his face again.

Before Toga could poke fun at him, Sesshomaru growled at him, "Not a fucking word dad."

Surprise registered on Toga's face for a moment, Sesshomaru had never called him dad before. As Sesshomaru finished putting things away and made for the door he realized Toga was still there. Toga threw his arm around Sesshomaru's shoulder and looked at him with paternal love.

"You've never called me that before. Why now?"

Sesshomaru stiffened slightly as he realized what he'd said. He cleared his throat and thought about what had changed.

"Well, Kagome is probably the most prevalent reason. She knows how to influence me", he said it with mock annoyance but Toga saw right through it.

Sesshomaru continued on cautiously, "Also, I no longer hold ill-will toward you concerning Izayoi. I understand, now more than ever, why you chose to mate a human woman. That in mind, I know you've changed since you mated her, as I have. I can no longer continue on in my old ways, as too much has changed."

Toga looked over at his son with shock and happiness. He patted his arm affectionately and Sesshomaru stiffened uncomfortably a bit at all the physical contact he was receiving.

"Kagome has made it clear to me that I must make an attempt to get along with mother after she apologized to me. I am trying, though the entire concept is foreign to me. I hold no negativity toward Izayoi, I actually quite enjoy the little human. She's similar to Kagome. And as for you, Kagome has made it clear that she loves you and that I should try to forgive you as well."

Toga felt emotions barreling through him and a small tear rolled down his face, "That woman, is the best thing to ever happen to you."

Sesshomaru could smell the tear and turned to his father with alarm.

"I am proud of you, my son, and I love you. Never forget that."

Confusion and shock rolled through Sesshomaru like tidal waves and he was exceptionally uncomfortable. Toga could feel the unease rolling off of him and laughed heartily.

"By the way, have you told Kagome that you love her yet?" Toga eyed him studiously.

"No." Sesshomaru was growing more uncomfortable by the minute.

"But you do love her, correct?"

Before Sesshomaru could govern his thoughts, they escaped out of his mouth, "Of course I do, who wouldn't?"

Toga grinned from ear to ear and clapped him on the back. He mumbled something quietly and Sesshomaru could have sworn it was 'that's my boy'. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and continued walking with his father toward the garage. Toga brought up business and they were debating on demon-human relations when they arrived in the large twelve car garage.

"So, do you want a ride, or do you want to borrow one?"

Sesshomaru eyed all of the cars and a sleek black Ferrari caught his eye. Sesshomaru pointed at it and his father burst into husky laughter.

"Of course you want to take that one. Fine, but if you crash it, you're buying me a new one."

Sesshomaru scoffed, "Like you can't afford a new one on your own?"

Toga laughed again and grabbed the keys out of a drawer and tossed them at Sesshomaru. He caught them and turned to the car with an excited grin on his face. This will be fun, Sesshomaru mused with satisfaction. Sesshomaru got in the car and pulled out of the garage. He dialed Kagome and she answered after the first ring.

"Hello love, is everything okay?" Kagome's voice was laced with concern.

Sesshomaru felt warmth spread through him at her term of endearment. "Everything is fine, I just wanted to know if you want to go out for dinner tonight."

Kagome giggled through the line, "Like a real date? Yes, I'd love too. I'll meet you at home at six and we can have dinner at… seven thirty sound good to you?"

Sesshomaru smiled, "Sounds good, don't be late."

Just before he hung up the phone he heard Kagome's laughter float through. He smiled to himself, her laughter was like a drug to him.

Across town Kagome was entering a small shop called the Crystal Wolf. It was well known as a new age witch apothecary but when kagome had researched it she'd found that it dated back nearly four hundred years and that they carried mostly herbs, stones, candles and some fake spell books for 'magical tourists'. In the back of the shop they kept an extensive book collection for legitimate priestesses and she assumed sorceresses.

As she walked through the door she felt herself walk through a small barrier and she glanced around alertly. As she studied the area she noticed two crystal pillars the size of candles stationed next to either side of the door. She rose a brow at them and moved to study them more carefully. As she inspected them she noticed small inscriptions at the base and was trying to decipher them when someone walked up behind her and cleared their throat.

She turned to see a small woman looking up at her with a smile on her face. She was in a traditional kimono like Kagome was and she had a rag tied around her like a makeshift apron. The woman held her hand out to Kagome and she looked at it cautiously. Taking the challenge, Kagome extended her hand and grasped the woman's in a firm handshake. When their skin touched, Kagome felt holy power surround them and she raised a brow at her and released her own aura. Her aura engulfed the woman's and Kagome saw her eyes widen in surprise. Kagome chuckled, released the woman and reigned her aura back in.

The woman appraised Kagome openly, "Very well done, young lady. I am Akira. You must be Kagome."

Kagome's brows rose and the woman laughed, "Your mother called me an hour ago. I've known her for quite some time. I wasn't sure it was you, but now I am."

Kagome smiled at Akira and followed her to a small room at the back of the shop. Akira thumbed through the shelves looking for a particular volume while Kagome looked around the room in wonder. The room was equipped from floor to ceiling with bookshelves that were full of old books. After a few minutes Akira found the volume she'd been searching for and brought it over to Kagome. She cracked open the book and flipped to the middle. Kagome stared at the book in wonder; it was massive. How was she supposed to find one reversal in that veritable dictionary? She watched as Akira continued to flip through the book until she found what she was looking for. She exclaimed happily and tapped the page.

"Found it! This should work for what you're trying to do. I'll let you buy the book, but make sure you keep it secure. I can also gather all the supplies you'll need. Do you have somewhere safe to keep this book?"

Kagome thought about Toga's library that was brimming with novels filled with magic, history and who knew what else.

She chuckled, "I have the perfect place for it. Probably the safest place in the country."

Akira nodded, seemingly approving and exited the room. Kagome could hear her rummaging around in the shop, gathering items. Kagome studied the book more carefully. It was a return spell, rather than a reversal. Kagome read over the general instructions and bristled as she realized she'd have to get up close and personal with Inuyasha in order for it to work. In his current heartless state, that would be highly dangerous. Sesshomaru would not like it. She sighed, it didn't matter if he didn't like it, it had to be done, for Izayoi.

Kagome noted that the spell would require her to have her hands on Inuyasha and she'd have to have at least five minutes with him before it would be complete. It didn't say he had to be conscious though, if she could knock him out, it might be possible. She was reading the last lines of the enchantment when Akira came back through the door. She had heaps of jars and parcels in her arms. Kagome thought about how difficult it would be to get all the items back to the apartment by herself.

"Can these be sent to the Taisho estate? I'm not sure I'll be able to carry it all."

Akira dropped the items on the table and turned to survey Kagome, alarm was written on her face.

"L-lord Taisho? Toga? You mean…. The great dog demon general and king of the Inu, Lord Taisho?"

Kagome looked her over and noticed that she seemed concerned and a bit afraid.

"Yes, I'm mated to his son, Sesshomaru."

Akira's eyes widened in shock, "You mated a demon? But… but you're the….", she trailed off and continued in a whisper, "but you're the Shikon Miko! You're supposed to hate demons…", she trailed off again with confusion permeating her entire frame.

"Hate them? No, not at all. Not all demons are evil, you should know that. Lord Toga and Sesshomaru are the finest demons I know. They may have done bad things in their past but they're different now."

The woman looked skeptical but Kagome smelt her fear start to wane and eventually she looked curious. As she packed all of the items into boxes Kagome could tell the woman was brimming with questions. Kagome chuckled softly and Akira looked up at her.

"I can tell you have questions, ask away."

She blushed a bit and then finally spoke up, "I've heard many things about Lord Sesshomaru. He's supposed to be the most dangerous daiyoukai alive. How on earth did you manage to tame him?"

Kagome burst into laughter, "Tame him? Oh, _perish the thought_. No one could tame that man. He's just misunderstood. I only showed him what it's like to be loved and cared for and eventually he came around."

Akira eyed her like she was a goddess sent to the earth, "You, my Lady are a miracle. I don't know how you did it, but congratulations."

Kagome smiled at her, "Thank you. Oh, I can pay for the shipping, can you have it delivered by tomorrow? I've got to start working on this as soon as possible."

The woman nodded and pointed at the book in question, "Oh, I'm taking that with me. I wouldn't risk it getting lost in the shipping process. Do you have a concealing bag by chance? If I catch any trouble on the way home, no one would be able to take it from me if I had one."

The woman looked thoughtful for a moment then clicked her tongue, "Not exactly, but I have something a bit different. I call it a mary poppins bag. The general idea of a concealment bag is that no one but the wearer can see it. In this case, you attach a small charm to the book and put it in the bag. If anyone reaches into the bag besides you, the bag will be empty, but when you reach in, you'll be able to pull the book right out."

Kagome watched as the woman opened a cabinet and pulled out a bag that looked like a cute hippy hand bag. Akira pulled a charm out of the cabinet and set it in as a placeholder for the spell and closed it. She handed Kagome the book and Kagome put it in the bag. Akira grabbed the bag and upended it and reached her hand inside. Kagome's eyes widened when nothing came out. She watched as Akira dug around and found nothing. She handed Kagome the bag and Kagome reached in and wrapped her hand around the book and pulled it out.

"Wonderful, this is perfect. Thank you so much for all of your help. How much do I owe you?"

Kagome followed Akira to the shop's front room and she payed for her things. Kagome wasn't surprised at how expensive the bill was, but she knew it would be worth it in the long run. Gathering her new bag, she emptied the contents of her purse into it and made her way out of the shop. She figured it would look less conspicuous if she was carrying one bag, instead of two. She made her way down the alley and toward Sesshomaru's car, but before she could make it to the street, two aura's whipped around her and she raised her head.

There were two demons in the alley with her; one behind and one in front of her. She sighed heavily, she knew that it was going to be difficult to get the book home without anyone noticing. She'd been certain that someone was having her followed. She had felt eyes on her when she'd gone into the shop and again once she'd walked out. The demons both had wicked smiles on their faces. She noticed that they were humanoid, like Sesshomaru, but they both had black hair and glowing red eyes, similar to Naraku. She reached into the concealment bag and texted a quick message to Sesshomaru: **Delayed. Come to the store. Emergency.** She wrapped her hand around a dagger she'd been training with as the demons began to stalk toward her.

* * *

 **As always thank you for reading and sticking it through with me. I will try to update again soon.**


	10. Chapter 10: Of love and Centers

**Hey everyone. Here's chapter ten. It's a bit longer than the last chapters, I hope you don't mind.**

 **Recently I've caught the creation bug and some big tragic plot twists are coming soon in the next two or three chapters.**

 **I hope, as always, that you enjoy. Feel free to leave a comment, ideas or constructive criticism.**

 **Love, KJ**

Disclaimer: _I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!_

* * *

 **Previously: Kagome exited the shop with a priceless book and attempted to make it home without trouble. Before she could get to the car, two hostile demons approached her in an alley and Kagome sent out a text to Sesshomaru letting him know she was in trouble.**

She pulled her dagger out of her bag and fiddled with it nonchalantly. At the sight of the blade the two demons stopped short. They'd heard that she would be dangerous due to her spiritual power, but what they hadn't expected was her to have any sort of weapon on her. She was taller than they had expected and she had her aura wrapped around her like armor. Her aura was suspiciously weak and neither of them believed that they could sense her true power. _She must be cloaking it somehow_ , one of the demons thought.

He eyed her warily. She was petite and unassuming, but something about the bored look on her face made him uneasy. Her face said that she dispatched bigger threats than him for breakfast, and it made him very nervous. He raised a brow at her.

She shrugged casually and gestured toward him with the dagger, "Listen, I'm a little tired and I have a date soon. Can we hurry this along, or would you like to rethink this and go home before it's too late for you?"

The two men bristled at her casual tone and Kagome smelt the anger rolling off of them both. The one behind her had a hint of fear in his scent and Kagome figured he'd be best to deal with last. She shrugged again and gestured for the demon in front of her to bring it on. He growled at her menacingly and rushed at her with black claws outstretched toward her throat, nervousness forgotten and consumed by his rage. He sped toward her and as he reached her, she ducked behind him and stuck a leg out, tangling her feet with his and he went crashing to the ground. He rose and turned to her and she saw that his nose was broken and gushing black blood down his face. The blood ran over his pale skin and into his mouth, covering his fangs. She chuckled darkly at him.

"I bet that hurts like a bitch."

He snarled at her and blindly rushed her again. This time she ducked under his claws then sprang up at him and thrusted the dagger into his chest where Sesshomaru had told her that demons' hearts were.

The dagger was embedded deeply into his chest and he groaned pitifully. Black blood started to trickle out from where the blade had pierced him. She twisted the dagger and a sickening squishing noise was heard and he whimpered in pain as she wrenched it out of him. Blood spewed from the wound and as she stepped backward, he fell to the ground gasping for breath. His blood began to pool around him on the ground.

Kagome turned to the other demon who was trembling in fear and watching her with wide apprehensive eyes. She began walking toward him with her gaze narrowed on her target and his face became grim with determination. He knew that if he ran, Naraku would kill him anyway.

In a burst of speed, he ran toward her with his claws ready to rip her throat out. She tried to jump back but he'd taken her by surprise. His claws sliced deeply into her chest and the wound stung painfully. Blood trickled and bubbled on her chest. She hissed slightly at the pain that accompanied it. She'd dodged the brunt of the attack, but the damage had been done. He'd let his poison leak into his claws prior to the attack and Kagome could feel the poison suppurate in her wound. Even though the poison was weak, she didn't have any tolerance built up and it brought excruciating pain. She knew she'd have to heal it quickly but she needed to concentrate on killing him first. She cleared her mind as best as she could, attempting to find her resolve from the training session earlier.

He turned toward her with claws outstretched again. She waited for him to get close and when his claws nearly had her, she drove the dagger upward as hard and as fast as she could in a clean arc. She watched in triumph as his hand was severed just above the wrist. The demon yowled in agony and dropped to his knees. Blood gushed from the amputated appendage like a faucet and Kagome grimaced at the sight. Before she killed him, however she had to know who had sent him. She knew Sesshomaru would be furious that someone had attacked her and that he would want answers. She kicked him over so that he was on his back and she set her heel on his throat. She applied just enough pressure for it to be uncomfortable but not enough that he couldn't speak.

"Did Naraku send you?" Her voice was venom and her face was as cold as ice.

He stared at her in terror, praying that she'd spare him, "Yes, he wants the book."

Kagome nodded, "I figured."

Before he could blink, she'd driven the dagger into his heart, twisted and wrenched it out, just as she'd done with the other. He gasped in agony as more of his life essence poured out from his chest and fell forward, face planting on the concrete. His blood pooled around him and saturated the ground. The smell of it was nauseating, it was putrid and impregnated with poison. Kagome staggered toward her car but didn't get far before more searing, burning pain lanced through her from the wounds in her chest.

"Shit", she exclaimed softly as she fell to her knees and brought her hands to her chest. She funneled her reiki into her hands and pushed it into her wounds. After a few seconds of bright silver light blinding her eyes and searing pain in her chest, her wounds closed and the poison was burnt out by the purity of her reiki. Her hands shook in the aftermath; she'd never dissolved poison from her own body before. It proved to be a bit more challenging than she'd thought it would be. She shook her head in frustration, she'd let the last demon get much too close to her.

As she was about to get up, she felt a furious aura envelope her and heard rapid footfalls heading her way. She looked up to find Sesshomaru heading toward her. She smiled and rose to her feet. She extended the dagger out to him.

"That thing came in handy. I'm glad you let me take it."

She took a moment to study his face and realized he was livid. His eyes were almost entirely crimson and his stripes were jagged. Kagome saw that his claws were glowing jade and violent tremors were running through him. He looked positively murderous. She smiled at him fondly, he'd been worried.

He looked her over and saw that she was unharmed. He let out a deep breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding. She'd sent him a cryptic text that had said: **delayed, come to the store, emergency.** He'd ran all the way there, figuring it would be faster than trying to weave through traffic. He'd smelled Kagome's scent and blood in the alley as soon as he'd arrived and he'd run toward her, praying that he'd made it in time. Anger had overwhelmed him the moment her text had fully registered in his mind. He'd struggled to maintain his control on his way over, knowing that turning into his full demon form in the middle of the city would cause mass panic among the humans and draw the attention of all demons.

He looked into her eyes, "What happened?"

She smiled slightly, "Naraku's lackeys. He wanted the book and sent them to kill me and take it. He should have known better. I used the dagger and hit their hearts. One grazed me with poison claws though. I had to heal it. I didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would, though. I've heard getting hit with poison claws can feel like having your fingernails pulled out. That doesn't mean it didn't burn like crazy, though."

He chuckled and felt his fury begin to melt away, "That's true but I'm a poison master and my blood runs through you. You're less susceptible to poison, that's probably why it didn't hurt as much as you expected. Come on, let's get you to the car."

She walked with him to the car, surprised to find her strength returning. She glanced down and saw that the demon had torn through the new kimono that Sesshomaru had just given her.

Sesshomaru could feel the agitation rolling off of her and turned to see her glaring at her torn kimono. She was mumbling angrily under her breath and he chuckled.

"Don't fret over it. I'll just get you another."

She huffed, "Better get more than one. You know I'm _accident prone_."

She said the phrase like a slur and he glanced sideways at her.

"I've some theories on that, actually", he announced in his usual _I know everything_ tone of voice. Kagome chuckled softly, "Oh, please, enlighten me, oh wise master."

He growled quietly at her and she chuckled as he elaborated, "I have noticed that you are easily distracted. When you aren't paying attention you fall, run into things and you take hits during sparring. On the other hand, after our meditation, I noticed that you were _very_ focused and you were not accident prone at all. You didn't trip, fall or run into anything. Also, you didn't take any obviously avoidable hits. And just now, you fought two enemies and only one landed a hit on you. And though those claws must have hurt like a bitch, you continued to fight, and you won."

She looked up at him with confusion on her face and he sighed loudly.

"My point is, that when you are focused on your task, you do not make mistakes. When you let other things take your concentration from you, you are clumsy because your attention is divided. If we can get you to a state of near constant concentration, I don't think you'll have any more accidents."

She looked at him dubiously, "Do you think that's possible? I've always been distractible. My mother mentioned the other day that I always came home with cuts and bruises, and you're correct. It's because I'd be watching something interesting and I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings and often bumped into things or tripped over them. It's not that I have no awareness of my surroundings, it's more that I was so focused on whatever had caught my attention that I let the details blur. I've always been that way."

He nodded, "Hm, I think we _may_ be able to redirect your over active attention span to our advantage if we could just-", he broke off with a quiet grunt as he realized that she'd just punched him in the arm. He rose one of his perfect brows at her and saw that she was a bit irate.

" _Overactive attention span?_ Damn you make me sound like a toddler."

He chuckled at her again, "As I was saying, if we could _harness_ that, we might be able to make you just as attentive as I am."  
She rolled her eyes at him. _Of course, he sets the standard for attentiveness,_ she thought sarcastically.

He rose his brows at her and she blushed as she realized he could decipher most of what she'd thought through their mating mark.

"I heard that", he growled playfully at her. She giggled softly and Sesshomaru felt his muscles begin to relax as the wonderful bell like sound settled over him.

She furrowed her brows at him, "How would we go about that? Is there a way for me to find the kind of focus you have?"

He grinned at her, "Through many hours of meditation."

She groaned again, meditation was so _boring._

They found the car and Sesshomaru walked around to the passenger side to let her in. She raised a brow at him and he growled at her.

"You just fought two demons, Kagome. I'm driving home."

She huffed, annoyed, and did as he said. Fighting with him would get her nowhere and she knew when to pick her battles. She got into the car and before he could close the door, she slammed it. He barely had time to pull his hand back before it was slammed closed. He growled softly, _woman damn near slammed my claws in the door._

He walked around to the driver side and saw that Kagome was pouting in her seat. He rolled his eyes at her and turned the car on. Once they were weaving through traffic, Sesshomaru grabbed one of her hands and began to caress it softly with one of his thumbs. She turned her agitated gaze toward him and seeing his serene, devilishly handsome face, her anger began to wane. Once she'd calmed down, a small frown was tucked in at the corners of her mouth.

"I'm being a child, aren't I?" She questioned, her voice sounding sad.

A small smile caught at his lips and he considered how to answer her very carefully, "I wouldn't say you're being childish, a bit irrational maybe. That's to be expected though, you did just get poisoned."

She smiled at him warmly, she knew he was placating her and was attempting to keep from angering her and she appreciated the attempt.

"So, can we still go out to dinner? I'm starving." Her voice was soft and Sesshomaru could feel strings pulling on his heart.

He glanced over her quickly, "Are you sure you want to go? Are you tired?"

She smiled softly at him, "I'm okay, really. I was tired for a bit but my energy has come back and I was really looking forward to our date."

Her voice was soft and soothing and Sesshomaru couldn't help but think she was using her female charms to convince him that it would be alright to let her out of the house. His protective side was screaming at him that she should stay inside where she was safe, but his heart was telling him that she needed this; a night out. He sighed heavily.

"Fine, but you will not wander off for any reason. I don't particularly want to kill anyone in public, the politics I'd have to wade through to soothe that over would be unbearable."

Just as he'd finished saying it Kagome gasped, "Shit, Sesshomaru, we left the bodies there…", her voice trailed off in worry.

He growled slightly, _how could I overlook something like that?_

He yanked his phone from the center console and dialed his father. Toga picked up on the second ring.

" _Hello son, nice to hear from you so soon. I hope you haven't totaled my car."_

Sesshomaru scowled slightly, "No, but something worse happened. Kagome was attacked outside of the store. She's fine, but there are two bodies in the alley. Can you send someone to take care of it?"

Sesshomaru heard and angry growl on the other end of the line, " _I'll send someone immediately. How is she? Did she get injured, is she ok-"_ , the sound cut off as Kagome snatched the phone from Sesshomaru's hand. He growled at her slightly and she winked at him.

"Papa, I'm fine. Calm down. Some low-level demons attacked me on Naraku's orders and I took care of them. I caught the end of some pretty nasty claws, but I healed it. Try not to worry about me, okay?"

She heard him sigh again, " _Darlin, you know I'm always going to worry about you. That's not a fair request to make of me."_

Kagome giggled, "Well please try not to worry so much. We are going to go to dinner and we just pulled into the parking garage so I have to go, but I love you papa."

He chuckled softly, " _I love you too little one. Make sure you give Sesshomaru a hard time for me."_

"Always", she said warmly before hanging up. She set his phone back on the center console and smiled at him brilliantly. He grunted at her and she chuckled. As they whipped into his main parking spot, Sesshomaru noticed that Kagome was positively drooling over the Ferrari parked next to them. She got out and approached the car, her face showing wonderment.

"Who does that belong to?" Her voice was low and it sounded similar to the one that she used when he was pleasuring her. He walked up behind her and looped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him.

"My father. I drove it home."  
She groaned as she studied the car, "Can we take it on our date? This car is gorgeous."

He chuckled at her, "I bet if you asked, he'd _give_ the car to you."

She groaned again and heat shot through him at the sound, "Don't tempt me, you know I could never accept this as a gift, it's too expensive."

He growled next to her ear, "He's basically your father in law now. And you know him, he will do as he pleases."

She chuckled at him and he led her toward the elevator. The moment the doors slid shut, Sesshomaru lifted her off of her feet and pushed her up against the wall. His mouth descended on hers and she moaned into it. She let her silken tongue enter his mouth and he shuddered at the feeling. He nipped at her lower lip and she groaned into him. Her sweet, intoxicating blood trickled into his mouth and he growled in ecstasy at its distinctive flavor. She wrapped her legs around his waist and ground against his obvious erection. He growled into her mouth and ran his claws gently down her back. She shivered and moaned at the sensation, while he devoured her mouth. She reached her hands up to run her fingers through his hair and he felt her nails graze his scalp. He groaned deeply in pleasure and she did it again, stoking the fire in his need.

The elevator dinged, indicating that they were at their floor, but Sesshomaru didn't release her. He gathered her to him tightly and tore his mouth from hers and began to exit the elevator. Before entering the hallway, he looked both ways and seeing it was empty he proceeded to their apartment. He bent his head back to hers and continued feasting on her mouth. Her groans filled the hallway and he was somewhat surprised that they hadn't drawn a crowd yet. He grabbed his keys with his free hand and unlocked the door and swung it open, not pausing in his mission to kiss her senseless. He kicked it closed and pushed Kagome up against the solid door. She ran one hand through his mane and stroked his stripes with the other. He let his hands wander and grope her front, moving from her hips to her breasts and then back down again. He started working on the ties to the dreaded kimono and he cursed himself for buying the damned garment. They took forever to get off and Sesshomaru considered destroying the thing. Realizing that it had already been torn, he made his decision.

Kagome gasped as Sesshomaru used his claws to slice the kimono and rip it off her. As her skin was introduced to cold air, her nipples budded into tight points behind the confinement of her bra and she let out a soft groan. He resumed his perusal by cupping her ass in one hand and bringing his other to one of her breasts. He kneaded the luscious, pale mound with his palm before slicing the bra off of her too. She gasped and he saw mild annoyance in her eyes and chuckled before he let his thumb roll one of her hardened nipples while his mouth settled over the other. He lapped at the nipple tenderly before enveloping it in his mouth. She writhed and moaned against him as he feasted on her delicate flesh. He grazed the bud with a fang and she groaned loud enough to wake the neighbors. She ran her nails across his scalp as he continued to torture her sensitive flesh.

As he was reaching to tear her panties off, he heard the annoying sound of his phone ringing. He growled in frustration and tried to ignore it but Kagome laughed softly and reached into his pocket to check it. She saw that it was Toga and decided to answer. She pressed one finger to Sesshomaru's lips and he growled and nipped at it.

"Hey, papa. What's up?"

Toga could hear that Kagome was breathless and he wondered just what exactly they were doing.

Sesshomaru, annoyed, grabbed her free wrist and pinned it behind her. He lowered his lips to her chest and made a trail from her nipple to her ear and he nipped and licked along the way. Kagome started to pant silently and she held a hand over her mouth to keep herself quiet. She sent Sesshomaru a death glare that wasn't as threatening as it should have been, due to the need in her eyes.

" _Kagome, let Sesshomaru know that everything has been taken care of. We were damn lucky no one spotted the bodies before we could have them taken care of._ "

Sesshomaru grunted his affirmation against her nipple and Kagome gasped at the feel of it.

"Uh-huh. Okay I'll tell him. Do you need anything else, because I _really have to go_ ", her voice was laced with pleasure and need and Toga chuckled, realizing what they were up to.

" _Nope, nothing else. Just tell him to call me later._ "

She stifled a moan as Sesshomaru growled softly against her harassed nipple, "Uh-huh, okay I will. Gottagobye!"

She hung up, dropped the phone and then latched herself onto Sesshomaru's lips with renewed vigor. She groaned into his mouth as he ground against her.

"You are **evil** , Sesshomaru." He growled into her mouth and she moaned.

As he reached for her panties again, she chuckled, "So I guess I better punish you then."

His brows shot into his hairline as her words registered in his mind and as he was about to ask her what she meant, the little minx was gone. She'd wriggled free from his grasp and run full speed to the bedroom. She closed and locked the door quickly and made her way to the closet.

Sesshomaru stood there for about ten seconds, in shock. _Little minx, you can't hide forever._

He tried to contain his heated desire and once he was mostly under control, he walked to the bedroom door and knocked. He heard her giggle from inside.

"I'm taking a shower. We are leaving in forty-five minutes."

He walked away to take a cold shower, grumbling and sexually frustrated.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Sesshomaru sat on the couch reading a book as Kagome finished getting ready. Kagome put a lot of effort into getting ready because even though they were mated, they'd never been on a real date. Kagome snorted at that thought, _Really classy, Kagome. Mating and having sex with a demon before he even takes you on a real date._ Not that she really cared about it, she loved him and that was enough for her. No matter what anyone else thought.

She rolled her eyes at herself and finished putting on her lip gloss. She went to the closet and rifled through the it, praying Sesshomaru had the frame of mind to get her some purses. Apparently, whoever had chosen her new clothing, had also included purses. She nearly squealed in delight when she found a purse that perfectly matched her dress. She transferred her phone, lip gloss and wallet into the adorable clutch and then remembered the book. She'd have to stash it before they left.

She popped her head out of the bedroom, "Hey, is there a good place to hide this book? Akira said it needed to be kept secure."

She heard him grumbling before he answered, "Put it in the safe. It's in the back of the closet on my side."

Her eyebrows rose, then furrowed, "I don't know the code."

He huffed loud enough for her to hear, "It's your birthday."

Here eyebrows were in her hairline, "You know my birthday?"

He chuckled darkly, "Of course I do."

She hummed to herself, highly surprised that he knew her birthday and very flattered that her birthday was the combo. She smiled to herself and made her way to the safe. She punched in the numbers and it swung open freely. She grinned and went to place the book in and noticed there were a few files in it as well as a passport and some cash. She put the book in the back and closed the safe and waited for it to lock again. Once she was sure it was locked, she placed a few bags and a pair of his shoes in front of it, hoping to keep it from prying eyes. She couldn't imagine who would be stupid enough to break into Sesshomaru's apartment, but she figured it's better to be safe than sorry.

She picked up her purse and made her way to the living room where Sesshomaru was sitting on the couch. He noticed her arrival and closed the book with a snap. She gazed at him attentively. He was gorgeous in his casual suit. It was a dark blue and it contrasted his silver hair, making it nearly glow in its silken beauty and looked divine against his alabaster skin. She wanted to drool just looking at him.

"Took you long enough. You are-", his voice died away as he looked up and saw her standing there.

His eyes nearly bulged out of his head and she saw that they grew red around the edges. His mouth was open a bit and she noticed that he'd inhaled aggressively.

Sesshomaru's eyes were nearly about to pop out of his head, he hadn't expected her to get dressed up, he figured she'd wear what she usually did and he was fine with that, she was always beautiful to him. What he _hadn't_ expected was this absolute bombshell to walk into his living room. Kagome had gently curled her hair into beach waves and the inky locks fell just past her hips. She was wearing a shimmery silver sleeveless dress that hugged her curves. It fit like a glove and he was nearly salivating over the sight of her. To top it off she was wearing three-inch silver heels that strapped around her ankles and made him want to run his tongue from her ankles to her hips. She'd put on light makeup and he was very pleased she hadn't layered it on, she looked positively ethereal in her beauty and he sat there staring at her for at least a minute before she burst into laughter and he came back to reality.

"You were saying...", she taunted him, but before she could continue to tease him, he was standing in front of her and pulling her against him.

He ran his nose from her collar bone to her ear and took in her scent, growling in pleasure as it intoxicated his senses. He ran his claws down her arm and gripped her tighter against him by grabbing her ass and pulling her pelvis into his. She groaned softly at the contact before swatting his chest lightly.

"If you do that, we will never make it to dinner." She chuckled as he growled again.

"Don't care", he mumbled between growls as he pressed kisses everywhere there was bare skin.

"Gods, you're gorgeous Kagome", he growled out and she groaned softly.  
Retrieving her bearings she pushed his chest a bit, "Thank you, koi, but I do care. I want to go out to dinner with you."

He growled again and planted a soft sensual kiss on her lips before releasing her. He groaned a little at the loss of her touch but knew that she was correct; he'd promised her a date, and she was going to get it.

"Let's go then, before I change my mind."

He followed that statement with a growl and she laughed and made her way toward the door. He grabbed the keys to the Ferrari and they made their way to the elevator. Once inside, Sesshomaru had to stand as far away as possible from her and his fists were clenched in a death grip by his side so that he wouldn't grab her and take her right there in the elevator. It was excruciating torture to be in that tiny metal box surrounded by her scent and her beauty and not be allowed to touch her. He wouldn't have been surprised if he'd punctured his palms with his own claws, with the amount of force he was using to keep them to himself. He wanted to howl in agitation but he kept his shit together and nearly leapt out of elevator when the doors open.

He heard her chuckle at him and he sent her a baleful glance. Her giggles increased and he let out a quiet growl and walked over to the Ferrari. She looked at him with big beautiful oceanic eyes, pleading him to let her drive. He laughed deeply and shook his head.

"No way in hell. Not in those shoes."

She frowned at him but climbed into the car anyway. He got into the driver seat and saw that Kagome was running her hands over the upholstery and she let out a satisfied moan as he turned the car on.

He glared at her from the side, "None of that today, please. If you do that, we will _never_ get out of this parking garage."

She giggled again and he pulled out of the parking garage. He mentally retreated into his head hoping to block out her mesmerizing scent and trying to think of anything but the fact that she was so delectable and so close to him. He was trying to keep his mind from the vision of her splendidly long and smooth legs.

She broke the silence and brought him back to himself, "I think that's the first time you've ever said please to me."

He chuckled wryly, "It is only said when I am sincerely begging."

She raised a brow at him, "Begging huh? I'd like to see that..", she trailed off with an erotic lilt in her voice and Sesshomaru groaned in agony.

He pinned her with a glare, "Kagome…", he trailed off with a warning in his voice.

She giggled again and it sent fire racing through his veins. He raced through town as fast as he could without killing anyone. He figured the faster they got to their destination, the faster he could be out of confined spaces with her. He highly doubted he could control himself if he had to be in a small space with her for much longer. He whipped through town while Kagome fiddled with his radio. She ended up on a classical station and she hummed along to whatever was playing. Sesshomaru focused on her voice and cracked the window, hoping some fresh air would keep him sane.

After a few minutes of torture, they pulled up outside his favorite restaurant, WP, or western palace to those of demonic origin that knew that it was owned by the great daiyoukai's. He wasn't surprised that his favorite restaurant was owned by his father, he had high expectations from all of his employees and the food was divine. He assumed that Kagome didn't know that it was owned by Toga, and had never been there before. The only downside of going to this place was that there were _always_ paparazzi outside and they _always_ wanted to get pictures of him with his dates. As he whipped the car into the space in front of the restaurant, the paparazzi started going wild and he sighed in agitation. Kagome looked at him with wide eyes that were filled with curiosity.

"They're going to want to take pictures. Don't talk to them, just keep close and smile."

She nodded and he got out and went to her door. As he pulled her door open and helped her out, the paparazzi began shouting louder and Sesshomaru thought his ears might bleed. A valet appeared and held his hand out and spoke respectfully to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru handed him a bill and the keys and Kagome thought she heard him say something along the lines of 'this is my father's car, not a scratch on it'. Kagome chuckled at his threatening tone and watched the boy scamper off happily at the prospect of being behind the wheel of such a sexy car.

Sesshomaru turned to her and put his arm around her waist and led her toward the entrance. Every few feet they stopped to allow their pictures to be taken but they kept pushing through to the entrance until, eventually, they were inside. Kagome wanted to sigh and rub her cheeks which were sore from faking a smile but she kept a small smile tucked in place as she noticed a hostess standing there waiting to greet them. The woman was positively eating Sesshomaru with her eyes and Kagome did not like it. The woman's eyes roved over Sesshomaru's body and Kagome held back a growl of territorial aggression.

As they approached her, Sesshomaru moved his arm to grasp Kagome's hand and he squeezed it gently. She realized with a blush that he'd definitely felt her hostility toward the woman. The woman greeted Sesshomaru and ignored Kagome entirely and led them to a semi-private table toward the back near a window. As they sat Kagome noticed that the woman was hedging closer to Sesshomaru and he was leaning away from her as much as he could. She told them that a waiter would join them soon and then her next sentence started to piss Kagome off even more.

"If you need anything, and I mean _anything,_ just come find me."

Kagome swallowed down another growl before drawing the woman's attention, "Thank you. I'm sure we will be just fine on our own", Kagome's voice was sickly sweet and she wanted to add bitch at the end and flick her fingers to dismiss her but she kept her rage in check. The woman faltered a bit and walked away with her eyes glued to Sesshomaru.

Once she was a safe distance away, Kagome let her growl out and had her eyes narrowed on the woman. Sesshomaru chuckled and she turned her gaze to him as he intertwined their fingers. The physical connection calmed her considerably and she smiled at him before looking at the menu. There were hundreds of fancy wines on the list and she flitted her gaze up to him.

"You're going to pick the wine, right? I've never had expensive wine and I don't want to pick a bad one."

He nodded with a small smile tucked in at the corners of his mouth and she returned it with a beaming smile of her own. Anyone who'd seen his face would have missed the small smile, but she could always tell when he was smiling.

"I can order for you, if you'd like", he suggested gently, as if he was trying to convince her without angering her.

Her smile widened and she nodded at him. He chuckled softly at her and before she could thank him, a waitress approached the table and her gaze rested solely on Sesshomaru, never wavering.

"Good evening, I'm Mai and I'll be your server today. Can I get anything started for you", her voice was alluring and, again, the woman talked only to Sesshomaru and her eyes were still glued to him.

He didn't even raise his gaze from the wine list or menu while he rattled off their entire order. The woman looked like she wanted to ask him something, but before she could Sesshomaru rose his gaze to Kagome and he flicked his fingers at the woman, promptly dismissing her. The woman nearly huffed in outrage at his attitude and the fact that he'd ignored her. Kagome stifled her laughter until she was far enough away. Once the woman was out of earshot she laughed heavily and he smiled lightly at her.

"How did you know I wanted to dismiss the last one like that?"

He smirked at her and tapped his neck. She chuckled at him and let her eyes wander over him again.

"You know you look positively edible in that suit, right? I can't blame them for wanting you."

Heat rushed through his veins at her compliment and the idea that she wanted to eat him alive.

He scowled slightly at her comment about the other women and then she continued, "But I do have to say, could it _be_ more obvious that we are on a date? Do I have to sit in your lap to get them to leave you be?"

She rolled her eyes as he chuckled quietly.

"I wouldn't be opposed to that, except this is my father's restaurant and we would absolutely end up on the front page."

She blushed a bit before agreeing, "Maybe I shouldn't then?" He chuckled and shook his head at her.

A few hours later, Kagome and Sesshomaru had finished their meal and Kagome was feeling a bit tipsy and extremely happy and relaxed. They'd gone through two bottles of wine and she felt wonderful. All she wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed with her delectable inu mate. Her arousal spiked and Sesshomaru's gaze found hers and he raised his arm almost imperceptibly. Seconds later their waitress, Kagome had drunkenly named her tramp of the week in her head, was at their table.

Before she could annoy Sesshomaru with her words, he held up his card to her and she grabbed it and nearly stomped away.

Kagome broke into laughter, "Is it _always_ going to be like this when we go out?"

He scowled at her, "I'm mentally preparing myself for the moment when we have a male server and host."

She cocked her head at him and suddenly it sunk in, "Oh, Koi, are you going to be jealous? I doubt it. No one here even noticed me tonight."

He sent her a sardonic glance and picked her hand up off the table and began pointing it around the room, "That man stared at you for twenty minutes when we arrived. Those two have been hiding erections, which they obtained from staring at you, with their napkins, the bartender has been eyeballing you and asking _all_ the customers if they know who you are, and that female waitress in the section near the door has been staring at you and salivating since you walked passed her. She's a demon and she's been able to smell your arousal the entire night."

Kagome turned beet red and watched as all the people he pointed to turned away from their gazes and blushed furiously. She began laughing almost hysterically and Sesshomaru growled in annoyance.

"My father owns this place, everyone here is _terrified of me,_ and they _still_ stare and consider poaching my mate. I guarantee you, we will not get peace while we are out, but the best thing is to ignore it, like you have been", he trailed off before adding, "mostly, besides our damned waitress."

She kept laughing and tried to reign it in so she wouldn't embarrass him. He hitched an eyebrow up and a small smile was on his face at her lack of composure. She was the most adorable and delectable woman he'd ever met.

Their waitress brought his card and the bill back. He signed and put down a tip before rising and holding his arm out to Kagome. She smiled at him warmly and looped her arm through his. As they made their way to the front, Kagome couldn't help but noticing that nearly everyone was staring at them. Most of the women were staring at Sesshomaru and most of the men were staring at Kagome. She giggled softly at the situation and then tried to compose herself to look as regal and threatening as Sesshomaru. She knew she'd succeeded when a few of the leering women caught her gaze and looked away frantically. Sesshomaru chuckled softly, only loud enough for Kagome to hear it and she wanted to laugh hysterically but kept her shit together until they were through the paparazzi and into the car. The moment the door closed behind her she burst into hysterical laughter.

Sesshomaru joined in with a beautiful husky laughter that had Kagome weak at the knees. After she'd calmed down, she turned the radio to recent hits and noticed that Sesshomaru wasn't too keen on it. She ignored him and began singing along to the radio.

Sesshomaru had originally been annoyed at her choice of radio stations, but soon he found himself enraptured as she sang along. Her voice was like soft honey as it filtered into his ears with delicate grace. He found he was still riled up at being in a confined space with her, but her soothing voice softened the edges of his sexual frustration. The ride home was short and pleasant and as they exited the care Kagome sighed despondently.

"Goodbye beautiful car. We will meet again", she whispered with sadness dripping from her promise.

He chuckled, "Such dramatics. I told you that if you asked, he'd give it to you."

She sighed heavily, "I know, but I just can't do that. It's way too much."

He grinned at her, she was such a humble, lovely creature. He tugged on her hand gently and led her into the elevator. As the doors slid closed, Sesshomaru prowled toward her, backing her up against the wall. Slowly, he reached out to run his claws up her thighs, to her hips before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into him. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed closer to her and brought his mouth down to hers. He pulled her into a slow and searing kiss that left Kagome breathless. Kneading her backside with one hand, he let his claws trail gently from her wrist to the jointure of her shoulder, before grazing the skin along her neck. Kagome shivered delicately in pleasure, all of her nerve endings on fire. His tongue delved into her mouth, exploring every inch of it and savoring the delectable taste of her. He growled sensuously into her mouth and she groaned and shook with need. Out of nowhere, Kagome reached up and cupped his head and pulled herself harder against him. The action fed both of their desire until they were groaning and grinding into each other aggressively in their heightened, fever pitched need. A near feral growl tore through the small space and Kagome felt her need rise to near unbearable levels.

The elevator dinged, indicating their arrival to their floor and Sesshomaru gathered her closer and strode toward their apartment door, not caring any longer if anyone saw them in the middle of their quite aggressive foreplay. He unlocked the door and wrenched it open. He kicked it closed and walked toward the bedroom while his hands roved over her back and he feasted on her mouth. As they entered the bedroom, he kicked the door closed and pushed her up against it aggressively. She groaned in ecstasy at the feel of his body pressed against hers.

She moved her hands to his shoulders and shoved his suit jacket off his shoulders in frenzied movements. He shrugged it the rest of the way off and she growled at him.

"Raise your arms."  
He complied and she wrenched his shirt over his head, popping some of the buttons off, tossed it to the ground and she groaned as she ran her hands over his smooth, muscled chest. He growled in pleasure and moved his hands to the hem of her dress and grunted at her. She understood what he was trying to convey and raised her arms as well. He pulled the dress up and over her head and tossed it behind him. Next, he used his claws to slice her panties and bra off her and tossed those as well before she dove toward his belt and unhooked it jerkily, hating the obstinate object. She ripped it off and threw it away. In the next moment she'd shoved down his pants and found what she wanted. He growled viciously as she wrapped her hands around his cock and gave it a few good pumps before he snarled in ecstasy and lifted her up and impaled her on his raging erection. He was granted swift entrance as she was already wet for him. He growled at the deliciously tight fit. She moaned loudly, almost enough to pain his ears. Her hands moved to his back and he groaned in pleasure as she scraped her nails across his smooth skin.

He began a merciless pace, thrusting into her with abandon, driving her insane with need. Her moans echoed through the room and his growls joined them. He brought his mouth to her neck and suckled at the tender skin before running his fangs across the joint of her neck and shoulder. She growled in pleasure and he nicked the skin, causing blood to drip slowly down her skin. He lapped at it, its lush flavor driving him to near pleasure induced insanity. As her taste overwhelmed him, he thrust into her faster and bit into her shoulder. As the pleasure-pain registered in Kagome's senses, she reached her climax and called his name as her vision exploded into bright sparkles and she shuddered against him.

Her walls clenched him deliciously and he had to slow and unlatch himself from her neck to keep from exploding right then.

He lifted her away from the wall and strode to the bed before setting her down and flipping her onto her stomach. Her legs hung over the edge of the bed and her toes just barely touched the ground. She groaned in pleasure as she realized his intent. He ran his hand over her bare back and trailed it down to her ass before kneading her lush behind. She groaned at his attentions and nearly howled in delight when he entered her from behind. He began a steady rhythm, slower than before, but not slow by any means. Pleasured mewls were torn from her throat as he drove into her again and again, reigniting her need. She began pushing her hips back to meet his and the feel of her soft, wet body taking him fully drove him to thrust into her harder and faster. As she grew close to another orgasm, Sesshomaru realized he wouldn't be able to hold himself back this time. He bent over her and as she came, he bit down on her neck in the same place before. She moaned his name and this time, her walls clamped down on him until his orgasm hit him like a truck. A pleasured growl tore through the room as he reached the peak of his ecstasy. Their aura's rose and flared throughout the room in a dangerous gust and Kagome belatedly hoped none of their neighbors got injured.

With a grunt, he gathered her to his chest and laid down on the bed with her back resting on his chest. They both panted slightly and she reached a hand back to caress his face and he growled lightly in satisfaction at her affectionate gesture. In an agonizingly slow movement, he slid out of her. She groaned at the loss of him and he repositioned her so that she was lying face down across his chest with her face tucked into his neck. She moaned in satisfaction at the new comfortable position and nuzzled into him. In mere moments, the two were fast asleep.

* * *

Light and sound filtered into Kagome's unwilling senses, bringing her out of her blissful state of sleep. She groaned as she realized Sesshomaru was trying to wake her up. She cracked an eye open to find him standing next to their bed wearing his running gear. She growled at him and ducked under the blankets again. She heard his wry chuckle and then felt as he snatched the blankets away from her and tossed them out of her reach. She grumbled again and reached to put a pillow over her head before it, too, was snatched out of her reach. She turned to him with a glare and a scowl. A small smile was tucked into the corners of his mouth and some of her anger melted at the sight of him.

He held his hands out to her and she opened her arms to him. He grabbed her hands and before he realized what she was doing, she tugged him into the bed. She knew that he was strong enough to resist her, but he fell into bed with her anyway. He laid on top of her without crushing her with his weight while she wrapped her arms and legs around him like a koala and nuzzled deeply into his neck before sighing. He chuckled slightly and ran a hand down her back before he heard her breathing beginning to return to its slow rate that indicated she was falling asleep. He growled playfully and wrapped his arms around her and lifted her out of the bed.

"You're not getting out of a run that easily, Kagome."

She grumbled again and he walked to the closet while she clung to him. He was mildly surprise to find that she had the strength to hold onto him in that manner for that long. He rifled through the closet and found a pair of joggers, her running shoes and a tee shirt. He dug through the drawers and grabbed a pair of her panties and a sports bra. After finding everything she needed he took her to the living room and slowly unraveled her from around him. She groaned in protest but he pressed on and set her feet on the ground. She sent him a glare as he dressed her slowly. Thankfully she was still naked, making the task relatively simple. As simple as dressing an irate Kagome could be, he thought sarcastically. Once she was dressed, he walked to the kitchen and came back shortly with a cup of tea for her. A brilliant smile lit her face and he chuckled at her.

"I know better than to wake you early without caffeine nearby."

She chuckled at him then frowned slightly, "What time is it anyway?"

A sly smile spread across his face, "Almost six in the morning."

Her eyes widened than narrowed into slits, "You woke me up at six in the morning to go for a run after we stayed up, god knows how late, and also when you knew I'd be hung over?"

She rubbed her head tenderly as she said it. He rolled his eyes at her and walked off to the bathroom. He reappeared with ibuprofen in his hand Kagome thanked the kami's that he was more thoughtful than she gave him credit for.

She took the pills and downed the tea before leveling him with an irate glance.

"Shall we then? Now that I'm up and I know you won't let me go back to bed, we might as well."

He chuckled again and they left the apartment for their run.

A few hours later, freshly showered and dressed, they were at Toga's mansion. It was only nine in the morning and Kagome wondered idly if Toga was even awake. She wandered around the mansion until she came to the library doors. Sesshomaru was downstairs readying the training room so she figured she could snoop around their progress with Naraku. She checked the table and found, for once, it was empty. She looked around the other desks and saw that they were clear too. She was about to start rifling through the drawers when she heard someone come in the library.

Toga padded toward her and she smiled as she saw him. She could never picture the great and terrible daiyoukai in sweatpants and a tee-shirt, but now, she thought, she'd seen everything. He was grumbling to himself as his gaze searched around the room for her. When he caught sight of her he sighed and a smile lit up his features.

"Why are you two here so damn early? It's Saturday."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Just because it's Saturday, doesn't mean Sesshomaru will let me out of my training."

He laughed heartily, "Of course not. Well what are you doing up here?"

She gestured toward the table, "I was hoping to get an update on your research into Naraku."

Toga's face soured, "Unfortunately, it's not going as well as we had hoped. We haven't found anything new on him. We did, however, find out where Kikyo is staying. The owner of the building is some fellow named Onigumo and we are going to start looking into him on Monday."

Kagome furrowed her brows, "Doesn't Onigumo mean spider?"

Toga's brows rose, "It does, why do you ask?"

She nearly shouted in her excitement, "Because Naraku is a spider hanyou! Oh, gods, why have I never noticed it before!"

She ran to the reference section and snatched a demonology book off the shelf. With it in her hands, she darted back to the table where Toga was standing. She thumbed quickly through the book until she found a section on spider demons. She skimmed until she found what she was looking for.

"Ah-ha! I knew it! Slippery little bastard, we have you now!"

Toga threw Kagome an amused glance as she held the book up to him. Sesshomaru entered the library and joined them, reading through what she had pointed out.

Toga looked at her with confusion on his face, "Yes, I know spider demons can regrow their limbs, why is this important?"

She heard Sesshomaru groan in agitation, "Because, father, Naraku has the ability to regrow his limbs and the ability to transform them into hardened objects."

Realization dawned on Toga's face, "So you believe that this Onigumo, is Naraku and that he is using his demon type as his hidden name?"

Toga let the idea roll through him until he realized that the thought had merit. It was more compelling than anything they'd found so far.

"I agree, it's too big of a coincidence, I'll start researching this Onigumo today. How is your research going, Kagome?"

She smiled brilliantly, "I found a reversal. All of the ingredients I need are going to be shipped here today. Let me know when they get here so I can start working on it immediately. Oh, and can you call my mom? I might need help, I haven't done an enchantment that difficult before."

Toga smiled at her in appreciation and wrapped his arms around her in a hug, "I would do anything you ask, Kagome. You've saved one of my sons and are trying to save the other. I owe you everything."

Kagome blushed deeply and Sesshomaru let a small growl out. The two turned to him and he raised a brow at them. Kagome laughed as Toga released her and Sesshomaru pulled her gently to his side.

He raised a brow at her again, "Are you ready for some meditation and training?"

She groaned a little and then nodded. A small smile flitted across his face before he led her out of the room. Toga watched them leave with unshed tears in his eyes. That girl truly was a blessing from the Kami's. Toga was certain that without her, his family would have been torn to pieces.

As Kagome and Sesshomaru made their way into the training room, they both shed their top layer of clothes until they were in just their training garbs. He led her to the center of the room and they sat across from each other in a meditation pose. She closed her eyes and began to relax as he had taught her the day before. After a few minutes, Sesshomaru noticed she was calm and serenity wafted off of her.

"Now, I want you to allow your aura to roam freely. Release your control over it and envision it in your mind. Let it go where it wants to, just watch and follow."

Kagome's brows furrowed as her beautiful river scene evaporated and she was in a white room and there was an odd magenta shimmering mist in front of her. Sesshomaru watched as her head tilted and confusion covered her face. She watched as her aura began to shiver violently and it dashed away from her and down a long white hallway. She followed it and eventually she came upon a massive set of white doors. There was a glowing blue chain that hung around the doors, keeping them closed. She narrowed her eyes at it and inspected it within her minds-eye. She realized it was aura as well, but it wasn't hers. She drew closer to the doors and watched as her aura began throwing itself at the blue chains. Kagome noticed that the chains were starting to crack and she saw that her aura had created a vortex around the blue aura and was wearing it down by exerting the full pressure of her power. With a crack, Kagome saw the chains explode and crumble into dust.

Her aura burst through the white doors and Kagome followed it inside. When she saw what was in the room, she gasped. Inside a floating blue sphere, a massive amount of her aura was imprisoned. She tilted her head as she noticed her aura, the one that had led her here, rushed into the sphere. She watched with awe as her aura swelled and began pulsing. In her mind she was rooting on her aura. She watched as her aura began violently attacking the blue aura. All at once, the blue sphere exploded and her aura rushed to her side. The leftover blue aura swirled in the air until it congealed into a small sphere. Kagome approached it slowly and noticed it was holy aura, but it felt wrong. Something was tainting the purity and it made her want to growl. As she turned away from the blue sphere, she watched as her aura flitted out of the room again.

She followed it down several hallways until she came to a set of even larger doors. She watched as her aura barreled into the doors, pushing them open. As she entered, the air expelled from her lungs in a rush.

In the center of a massive white room, a huge green and magenta sphere shimmered while floating in the air. She walked to it and watched as it shimmered more the closer she got to it. She reached out her hand and gently touched the sphere. She gasped as the surface shimmered and wavelike ripples spread over the sphere and everywhere they touched, the sphere turned silver. Eventually the entire sphere was silver and she turned to see her aura floating near her. She turned to it and noticed that it was massive, much larger than when she'd first seen it. She also noticed that it was now silver too. She tilted her head at it and before she knew what was happening, her aura slammed into her body and consumed her.

Kagome opened her eyes and gasped in surprise. She looked around and noticed she wasn't on the ground anymore. She was floating in a silver barrier. She let out a yelp and the barrier was gone and she crashed to the ground and landed on her backside. After she rubbed her back, she raised her head to find Sesshomaru staring at her incredulously. She tilted her head at him.

"What happened?"

He looked at her with awe written clearly across his face.

"I'm not entirely sure….", he trailed off, his voice accurately portraying his shock and confusion.

She tilted her head at him again, "Well then how did I get up there?"

She pointed to the air and he double blinked at her and then joined her on the ground.

"I will tell you what I saw, then you're going to explain everything to me."

She nodded and he began, "After I told you to follow your aura, you began to glow softly. You looked confused and then I watched for a while longer before your aura swelled immensely. After which you were calm for a while. After a few minutes, I noticed that you were tensed and then your aura turned green, like mine and a veritable tornado of magenta and green aura swirled around you until it turned silver and it expanded into an aura that was at least as strong as mine. Then once your aura was entirely silver, that barrier surrounded you and you started levitating. Soon after, you opened your eyes and fell on your ass."

She scowled at him for his last remark, but soon it was wiped off her face as she contemplated what it all meant. He looked impatient and she realized he wanted her to explain what had happened.

"I was in a white room and my aura was there and it was fairly small and magenta. I followed down a long hallway until it led me to a door that was locked with blue aura. My aura attacked it and when we got inside, I found the rest of my magenta aura imprisoned by a blue sphere of aura. The aura that had led me there joined the rest of my aura in the sphere and I guess with added aura, it couldn't contain it all. My aura began attacking the blue sphere and it shattered and my aura was released. After that the remaining blue aura crystalized into a blue ball. I followed my aura to a bigger door and when I went in I saw a large sphere that was green and magenta. It was the same green as your aura. When I touched it, it sent waves throughout the sphere and everywhere the waves touched it turned silver until it was all silver. Then my aura body slammed into me and then I opened my eyes and found myself here."

Kagome finished and noticed that Sesshomaru was staring at her in wonderment. In one quick movement he gathered her into his arms and pulled her into his lap. He nuzzled into her neck and confusion wafted off of her.

"I'll start from the beginning. Someone's aura was in your center, which should be impossible unless you're mated. When your aura saw it, it attacked and was able to break through. Once your aura was at its full capacity, it could rid you of the blue aura. That aura, which no longer imprisoned yours, solidified to protect itself from you. Then your aura led you deep into your center where your soul is. The reason it was magenta and green is because your soul hadn't been able to accept our mating fully due to you not having full command of your aura. Once you had your full aura and you touched your soul, it combined our pieces of soul into one. That's why it turned silver. When that happened, your aura sought to fuse with you again, but now that your aura is whole, it is far more formidable than before. Being able to reach your center at all means you will most likely be able to focus completely now. It's not a quick fix, though. You'll have to meditate and submerge into your center often to have complete control over your mind, as I do."

She stared at him in shock. She didn't know what to say, so much information had just been dumped into her brain and she hadn't processed it fully yet.

"How could anyone's aura get into my center?" That was the only thing she could think of. The rest had fallen into place. She knew that mating was a fusion of the souls and that her aura would grow with it.

"I do not know. We will have to ask your mother, she should know more about Miko souls and centers than I do."

Kagome nodded and noticed that her mind was relatively quiet, all things considered. She felt whole and determined. Her focus was better than it had ever been and she felt like she could take on an army of demons if she had to.

"I'm ready." She said with determination.

He rose a brow at her, "I'm ready to train", she said.

He nodded and rose and they began training vigorously. He was even more surprised to find she was fighting with more intent and thought than ever before. Her movements were calculated and precise and he noticed that she seemed to remember all of her training from the past weeks and was now incorporating them properly in their sparring matches. In the last sparring match, she'd finally landed a hit on the dai.

Sesshomaru had backed her into a corner and was advancing on her, trying to get her to submit when she'd faked a jab at him. He'd assumed that she was really going to attempt to hit him but when he'd moved to avoid the hit, she'd dashed to the other side and caught him unaware, something that almost never happened. Before he could correct his path, she'd struck out with speed and slammed her sparring sword into his side. When he'd recovered from the shock, he swept his leg underneath her and she fell onto her backside. He leveled his sparring sword at her neck and smirked at her.

She huffed, "I had you, I totally had you."

He smiled wryly and helped her to her feet. She realized all at once, she'd scored a hit on the great and powerful Sesshomaru. She whooped in excitement and jumped into the air.

"I hit you! I landed a hit!"

His smile widened and he nodded, "You've done well today. Better than I expected."

She squealed in excitement and hugged him tightly. She turned as she heard the door open and they saw Toga enter. He took in their happy faces and sent them a questioning glance. Before Sesshomaru could explain it properly, Kagome blurted it out.

"I hit him! I scored a hit!"

Surprised registered on his face and he turned his gaze to Sesshomaru, "Did you let her on purpose, or was it a true hit?"

Sesshomaru and Kagome sported twin scowls, "No, father. It was a true hit. She took me by surprise."

Shock showed on Toga's face, no one ever surprised him. He turned to Kagome with a jubilant expression.

"Well done! That is a great feat. Not many can surprise Sesshomaru. Usually he anticipates attacks before his opponent even thinks of it."

Kagome's smile reappeared and she was nearly bouncing in excitement.

"Your things are here and your mother should be here in a few minutes. If you want to change and shower before she gets here, you should go now."

She smiled again and looked up to Sesshomaru. He nodded to her and she gathered her things and ran out of the room whooping in happiness once again. He chuckled as he watched her leave and Toga joined him in cleaning up the room.

Once the room was back in order, a thought came to Sesshomaru, "Father, do you still employ the man who turned your fangs into swords?"

Seeing the direction that he was heading in; Toga's brows rose in shock.

"Yes, Totosai. Wonderful sword smith. You want him to create a sword for her from one of your own fangs?"

Sesshomaru nodded and Toga's face lit up with a shit eating grin, though Sesshomaru didn't know why. "I'll call him. He could come today, if you'd like to do it sooner rather than later."

Sesshomaru nodded his consent, "After I shower, I'll come to the library for a report on what you've found today. I can help you research until Kagome is ready to leave."

Toga nodded and patted Sesshomaru on the back before he left to join Kagome in the shower.

* * *

 _ **As always, thank you for reading. I have overcome my recent writers block and have been thinking up creative ways to bring this story to the next level. Be prepared for some serious plot twists headed your way.**_

 _ **-Love KJ**_


	11. Chapter 11: Possession and Preparation

Hey everyone. Here's chapter eleven. As always, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: **_I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!_**

* * *

The rest of the day was spent in the library poring over books with the scent of tea hanging in the air. Kagome and her mother were huddled in a corner at a table over the book with the reversal spell. Toga and Sesshomaru were spending most of the day on their phones and computers talking to contacts that could get ahold of any and all information that you could think of. Izayoi and Inukimi were sitting together in lush chairs going through books about hanyou's and spider demons.

Kagome was starting to get irritated over the enchantment. It would take a lot of work to get everything ready and her biggest concern was being able to get Inuyasha cornered and docile long enough to complete the chant and return his heart to him. The enchantment required her to have a fine powder, a byproduct of several different herbs and ingredients ground into basically dust. She would use it to settle his aura and return him to his natural frame of mind. Afterward she would have to place her hands on him and chant for nearly three minutes straight. The actual chant was confusing and Kagome was struggling to memorize it while her mother gathered all the ingredients and tried to figure out how they could grind them into the fine powder.

Sesshomaru felt her uneasiness and anxiety through their mark and made his way over to her after ending a very informative call. He approached her from behind and laid his hands on her shoulders. Her muscles relaxed instantly and she let out a deep sigh before settling back against his chest.

He nuzzled her neck, "Are you making any headway over here?"

She huffed and nodded, "Yes, but I'm trying to memorize this damned chant and it's proving difficult. I haven't used the old Miko language in years and it's proving more difficult then I remember."

He huffed in amusement, "A little practice and you'll be fine. Any other concerns?"

She nodded, "We haven't figured out how to grind the ingredients yet and some of them are rather coarse. There's lava rocks and sapphires that need to be ground and we just can't imagine what we could use to properly grind it all."

He raised a brow at her, "I can do it. If you can find a diamond mortar and pestle, I can buy it. It would only take someone strong enough to grind it."

She raised a brow at him, "Do you think that the ingredients will burn you?"

He huffed at her quietly, "No. Since our mating I haven't been burned by your aura or purity. I believe that, as you've built up a tolerance to poisons, I have a tolerance for purified holy aura."

She hummed at him and then nodded, "Yeah, actually that makes sense. Okay, well let's give it a try."

"By the way, Kagome, how much did all of this cost", he gestured to the ingredients and the books that littered the table.

Kagome turned sheepish and blushed slightly, "About 66,500 yen...", she trailed off with her voice sounding embarrassed.

His brows shot up and he released her and turned her towards him, "How much will that mortar and pestle cost?"

His voice was harder now and Kagome knew he was angry she'd spent so much of her own money to help Inuyasha.

"Probably a few hundred thousand yen." Her face was sheepish again and she watched as Sesshomaru pulled out his phone.

He started pressing buttons and navigating into his bank account and Kagome was rife with curiosity.

"What are you doing, Sesshomaru?"

He raised a brow at her and continued on without commenting. Once he was finished, he rose his phone so that she could see what he'd been up to. He'd transferred 300,000 yen into her bank account. Kagome blanched and stared at her new account balance in shock.

"Wha-why would you do that? That is _so_ much money, too much! I don't need that!"

He smirked at her, "You're my mate now. I will provide for you."

She wanted to laugh at his determined bossiness but she was still in shock. Before she could argue, he'd pulled a credit card from his wallet and settled it into her hand.

"Use this to pay for the rest of your supplies. If you use your own money, and I find out about it, there will be hell to pay."

She stared at him with her mouth gaping, "but… but", she stuttered until he silenced her with a quick kiss.

She heard her mother chuckle next to them and she turned to find her smiling at them.

"Let him take care of you. Someone needs to." Her voice was gentle and Kagome saw happiness in her eyes.

Kagome nodded and turned to Sesshomaru and planted a kiss on him. She wanted to savor it, but she knew that their parents were watching them. She backed away slightly with a sigh.

"Did you find anything today?" He nodded at her and led her to the table.

He gestured to a mound of documents and a large floor plan. She raised a brow at him while she looked it over.

"We've done some digging, and Inuyasha hasn't moved back into his apartment. Apparently, he cleared all of his belongings and he hasn't been back. One of my connections in the police force checked all the cameras on the street that this house is on. It belongs to Onigumo, but the only resident listed is Kikyo. When I looked the tapes over, I found that Inuyasha and Kikyo are coming and going at all hours of the day and night. It seems they're the only two living in the residence. I had the floor plans sent over and I've been giving it some thought, when you're ready to try the reversal, we should be able to get in and grab Inuyasha. I know you said that you'd have to be close to Inuyasha to make the reversal work. If you stay out of sight, I should be able to render him unconscious long enough for you to work. The only unknown entity here is Kikyo. I'm not entirely certain about the strength and depth of her power. You may be able to erect a barrier and keep yourself hidden from view and sound. It would take some practicing though."

Kagome mulled over all the new information before turning to her mother abruptly.

"Mama, would you be willing to train me?"  
Kagome's mother turned and stared at Kagome in awe.

"Really? You want to reconvene your training?" Her voice was rife with hope.

"Yes, I think it is necessary. Now that I know I'm carrying the jewel, and that I will need to use my Miko powers to defeat Naraku and get Inuyasha back, I think we should start as soon as possible."

Kagome's mother nodded with tears in her eyes. In a quick movement she crossed the distance between them and pulled her into her arms and let her tears run down her face. Kagome hugged her mother tightly before she pulled back to look at her daughter.

"I am so proud of you, Kagome."

Kagome smiled brightly while unshed tears filled her eyes.

Sesshomaru watched the scene with thinly veiled happiness. Toga could see the pride on Sesshomaru's face and he clapped his sons shoulder affectionately. Sesshomaru turned a narrowed gaze on his father and Toga chuckled at him.

"Did you find anything on Onigumo?" Sesshomaru asked in a testy voice.

Toga grinned at his son, "Yes actually. Nothing that ties him directly to Naraku, but it's sufficiently incriminating and suspicious."  
Sesshomaru raised a brow at him and Toga led him to his laptop.

"He appeared out of nowhere five years ago with a large amount of money at his disposal. The odd part is that there is no record of him before that date and that the money is untraceable. It's as if the money magically appeared in his bank account that day. He then began to invest his money into the political curtain of our country. He started supporting the human's side of the law and was pushing for more rigorous legislation for controlling demons and giving humans more militant and police control."

Sesshomaru's brows furrowed in thought and Toga continued, "Unfortunately, I took a closer look at his investments and I found that he holds twenty percent ownership in our company."

Sesshomaru let out a fierce snarl. He'd worked himself into the ground to build that company and he'd be damned if they had interference from Naraku. He quickly did the calculations of how much damage they would take if Naraku tried to pull strings with the market or if he tried to pull out of the company all at once. Another fierce snarl passed his lips as he realized how grave the situation was for the company.

Toga nodded, he'd already come to the same realization.

"As soon as you get the chance, you'll have to go in and reorganize the company from top to bottom and do damage control. We'll have to weed out all possible moles within our own walls. I cannot believe this has been going on underneath my nose. On top of that, he owns property all over japan and it will be difficult to pinpoint where he lives. I'm dispatching some of my most trusted spies, and once they have eyes on him, we can track his movements and hopefully narrow his location down."

Sesshomaru nodded slightly, a deep scowl covering his face. Before they could delve into it further, there was a knock at the door. Toga smiled mischievously and went to let in the visitor. A small old man entered the library and walked toward Sesshomaru with Toga. They chatted amiably and when Kagome noticed the addition, she joined Sesshomaru at the table.

Sesshomaru raised a brow at the man and he snickered, "Ah, Sesshomaru. It has been quite a long time. I haven't seen you since you were just a wee pup. Still the ice prince, or has this lovely little woman melted your heart?"

Sesshomaru growled quietly and Kagome smiled, "I'm Kagome. I'm Sesshomaru's mate. It's nice to meet you."

He bowed at her and then leveled a gaze at Sesshomaru, "Shall we do this, then? I'm assuming you want the…", he trailed off as he eyed Kagome, " _item_ done as soon as possible."

Sesshomaru nodded and Kagome clutched at his arm. He turned to her and he raised a brow.

"It's a surprise. You can come with us if you want."

He turned to Totosai and then added in quiet tones, "You'll need to pull both. I want a set of sai made as well."

Totosai nodded and turned to Kagome with a smile. She smiled and he pulled her out of the room with Totosai leading the way. They walked through the house until they found themselves in the back courtyard. Sesshomaru released Kagome's hand and gave her a chaste kiss before walking to the middle of the courtyard and looking at Totosai with a raised brow.

Totosai motioned at him to begin and Kagome watched the proceedings with an enraptured stare. She watched as Sesshomaru snarled and released his yoki. His body began to shimmer and Kagome watched with mild horror as Sesshomaru's skin began to tear away from his body. He started to grow and his skin ripped the rest of the way and in the place where Sesshomaru stood before, a massive dog demon was standing in his place. Kagome studied him with awe. He was covered in silver fur, the same color as his hair and he was nearly forty feet tall. He had massive stripes across his cheeks and down his snout. His blue moon rested in between his eyes and he growled softly.

Kagome was entranced by his bestial beauty and she found herself walking toward him. She closed the distance between them and as she approached, Sesshomaru laid down on his belly and thrusted his head toward her and licked her with his giant tongue. Kagome broke into laughter as Sesshomaru's tongue enveloped her from her kneecaps to her head. Once he retracted his tongue, she leapt forward and wrapped her arms around his muzzle. She nuzzled her head into his soft fur and he growled in a deep baritone. She giggled into his fur.

Totosai cleared his throat and Kagome released Sesshomaru and backed away a few feet. Totosai approached Sesshomaru with a long metal object that Kagome was sure belonged in a dentist's office. It looked exactly like something you'd use to a pull a tooth and she watched in curiosity as Sesshomaru opened his great maw and Totosai reached into his mouth. With a loud growl and a quiet whine, Totosai ripped one of Sesshomaru's large fangs out.

Kagome could feel the pain through their mark and she ran to Sesshomaru's side. She threw her arms around his neck and whispered into his fur.

"It's okay, love. Just a little longer."

He nearly purred in contentment and Kagome nuzzled into his neck again. Totosai watched the proceedings in wonder before turning back to Sesshomaru with determination. Sesshomaru opened his massive jaws again. With impressive speed, Totosai ripped out the second massive fang. Sesshomaru let out a pained snarl and Kagome rubbed his neck in soothing circles.

"That's good. Should be more than enough here to do what you asked for."

Totosai's voice broke through to them and Kagome turned to look at the man. He had a small smile tucked in at the corners of his mouth.

Kagome felt Sesshomaru body shift against her and she turned to find him standing in his humanoid form behind her. She smiled at him and he gave her a smile. She burst into laughter at the sight. Sesshomaru fangs were gone and had yet to grow back. He looked like a toddler with his teeth missing. He growled at her in agitation.

"I'm so sorry! It's just… you're missing teeth!"

He sent her a baleful glance and she chuckled again, "I bet that's how you looked when you were a little pup. Grinning and adorable with missing teeth."

He growled at her teasing but pulled her to him and kissed her into silence. She giggled up at him as he released her.

"When will your task be finished", Sesshomaru asked with obvious impatience in his voice.

Totosai blinked at them before coming back to earth, "If you want to pay to expedite, I can be done in three days."

Sesshomaru nodded, obviously pleased, "Perfect. We will be here when you are finished."

Totosai nodded and Kagome watched as the tiny, scraggly old man lugged two giant fangs across the yard. Kagome and Sesshomaru followed him to the front door and Kagome watched in curiosity as he approached a brown cow with three eyes. She watched with her mouth agape as the man mounted the cow and began to fly away.

"Did… did you just see what I saw", Kagome asked with confusion laced in her voice.

He grunted at her and pulled her toward the library.

* * *

Three days later, Sesshomaru had finally allowed Kagome to move onto a real sword. He taught her how to handle the rapier and she was thrilled to find it was light in her hand. Sesshomaru had started training against her with his sword, and she found that he was even more skilled with his own sword. Kagome lost every spar they did, but eventually, she caught on and started scoring hits on Sesshomaru. Kagome found that Sesshomaru had the habit of anticipating her moves and feeling for her intentions through their mating mark. She, personally, thought that was cheating.

Finally, halfway through their training session, Kagome realized what he was doing. He was analyzing her and using her rapid attacks against her by using his patience as a shield. Once it all clicked for her, she backed away slowly and quickly tried to connect herself to her center. He'd been anticipating that she would lunge forward, so as she stepped back, so did he. He raised a brow at her and she made to attack him from the left before stopping abruptly. He had already countered, though, and was standing far to her right, exactly where he would have needed to dodge to if she'd followed through on her attack. She circled him and approached slowly. When she was about five feet away, she faked right then fell back. As she watched him dodge left, she lunged to where she predicted him to land. He landed in front of her right on time and she saw his eyes widen as she leveled her rapier at his throat.

She sent him a victorious smirk, but she watched him scowl and bat away her rapier and lunge at her. At the last second, she leapt to the side and barrel rolled to her feet. He was behind her in an instant and was about to put his sword to her back when she swung her leg out to the side and whipped it around behind her. She rolled at the last second, but not before Sesshomaru was knocked to the ground, landing right on top of her.

His eyes were widened in shock and before she could laugh at him, he dropped his mouth to hers and consumed it savagely. She squeaked in shock before melting into him and throwing her arms around his neck. He growled into her mouth and she pulled back with a laugh.

"Kagome, how did you know where I was going to be?"

She chuckled at him, "I realized that you were cheating. You were using my quick attacks against me, and you were using our mark to anticipate my movements. You were _expecting_ me to attack you head on, hit after hit. Once I tested that, and realized that I was right, I changed my tactic. I did what you assumed I'd do, then corrected to catch you off guard."

He smiled brilliantly at her, and she held back her giggle as she saw the little fangs that weren't fully grown in.

"You _did_ catch me off guard. Congratulations, not many can."

She smiled brilliantly and then they heard a knock at the door. Sesshomaru growled quietly and rose to his feet, pulling her up with him.

"Enter", he growled.

They watched as Totosai entered with two cases in his hands. The cases were sleek black and Kagome was instantly curious. He approached them and handed them to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru nodded at him.

"As soon as she decides she likes them, I will wire you the money."

Totosai nodded and left to go find Toga. Sesshomaru turned to Kagome and she felt nervousness run through her from their bond. She smiled encouragingly at him. He smiled slightly at her then set down the smaller case. He raised the case and stabilized it in front of her and nodded. She reached forward tentatively and flipped open the clasps. She gasped as she raised the lid to find a beautiful bone white rapier. Its handle and hilt were black and the blade was deadly sharp. It gleamed at her and she noticed a slight aura was enveloping it. She reached her hand out tentatively and grasped the handle. She gasped as she felt Sesshomaru's yoki flow around her and the rapier. She looked up at him and saw satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. She picked it up and gave it a few swings, noting its lightweight feel. It hummed in her hand, obviously accepting her ownership of it. She turned back to Sesshomaru with a beaming smile.

"I love it. It's perfect. What is it made of?"

He looked at her curiously, "My fang."

She gasped and then it all clicked together for her. He'd given her a custom sword, made from his own fang. He was entrusting her with his own essence and she was eternally grateful.

"I love it, it's so beautiful. Thank you so much!"

She saw that there was a scabbard in the case as well and she grabbed it and attached it to the waste of her training uniform. She slid the sword into its sheath and then launched herself at Sesshomaru. He dropped the case and caught her. He smiled at her before she laid a kiss on his lips. He set her back down and grabbed the second case. She raised her brows in surprise, _two presents?_

She flipped the clasps and open the second case. Inside there was a pair of sai that had the same porcelain gleam as her rapier. She grabbed the handles and spun them in her hands the way he'd taught her. She felt their aura's accepting her and she grinned wolfishly.

"These are amazing. How did you know I like daggers and sai's?"

He chuckled, "I realized you were partial to daggers when you fought those demons in the alley. I've seen you eyeballing the sai's every day. I figured you would enjoy having them and learning how to use them to your best ability."

She smiled up at him before slipping the sai's in her belt.

"I'm armed for bear, now. What could stop us?"

He smiled at her slightly before it dropped and his face became serious, "Kagome, you must be careful. I cannot afford to lose you now. Just because your training is progressing, does not mean that you are invincible. Only take calculated risks."

She nodded, realizing that he was worrying about her. They straightened up the training area and Kagome noticed that Sesshomaru was being more silent than usual. He set the precedent for keeping his thoughts to himself, but this was different. She could feel that he was rough around the edges, and it worried her. She turned to him and approached him from behind. She reached out and set her hand on his back. He turned with his demon speed and pulled her into his arms, flush against his chest.

"I'm serious, Kagome. You need to be careful. This is not training. I will not let you get killed", he snarled at her.

She kept her face buried in his chest and raised a hand to run through his hair. She focused on her contentment, happiness, and love and tried to push it through their mark and get through to him. She felt his muscles relax and she caressed his head and leaned back to look at him.

"I know you're scared, though you'd never admit it. We will get through the upcoming battles. We'll do it together."

He gathered her closer and nuzzled her throat. After basking in her scent for a minute straight, he gave her a chaste kiss, straightened his posture and finished putting everything away. Once he was finished, he walked to the door and turned to Kagome, holding out his hand. She joined him and they walked to the library, hoping to find Toga. Upon entering, they found him seated at the table bent over the floor plan of Kikyo's house. His computer was playing the footage outside of her house. He was scribbling furiously in a notebook and barely registered them as the approached him.

"Did you find something, papa?"

He nodded slightly before gesturing to the floor plan.

"There's an uncharted portion in the floor plan, dead space. I've been watching when they come and go, and they usually stick to a pattern. There are specific times when Inuyasha is in the house alone. Kikyo _always_ goes out at around seven and doesn't come back until ten. Inuyasha arrives around eight and stays in for the rest of the night. I believe if we could get in when he's there and she's gone, we have a chance of recovering him. The dead space could be where Inuyasha is staying, or it could just be a hidden room. I'm not sure, but if you _do_ get the chance to check out that room, I'd advise it."

Kagome and Sesshomaru studied the floor plan and eyed the section of the house that he was talking about. She wondered how she would remember it all, and prayed that Sesshomaru would memorize it so she wouldn't have to.

"I don't have to memorize this, do I? I am already memorizing the reversal, and I don't think my brain can handle much more memorization. Five straight minutes of chanting will be difficult to remember."

Toga eyed her warily, while Sesshomaru looked concerned.

"Kagome, I realize that the reversal will take a lot of time and energy to memorize for you, but if you don't learn the lay out of this house, and you get separated…", his voice trailed off in horror at the idea of what could happen to her.

She flitted her gaze between the two over bearing youkai that were staring her down.

She groaned and rolled her eyes, "I'll try, but the reversal is my priority."

They both nodded and Toga sighed in relief.

"Why don't you spend the rest of the day meditating and working on the reversal? Father and I need to come up with a plan to get into the house."

Kagome nodded, "Maybe I'll call my mom and see if she wants to come over for some training."

Sesshomaru rose a brow at her and sidled closer to her.

"What _is_ your mother's name, Kagome? I've only heard you call her mother. And my father just calls her Mz. H."

Kagome chuckled, "It's Ayumi. I can't believe I didn't tell you that when I introduced you."

Kagome's words were barely out of her mouth before the library door opened and her mother strode in. Kagome smiled slightly as she observed her mother closely. She was radiating pride and strength and she looked beautiful. She was wearing traditional Miko garbs and her long black hair cascaded down her back in a loose braid. She walked with confidence and approached the couple. She grabbed Kagome's hand softly.

"Let's get to work, shall we?"

Kagome smiled at her warmly, "Yes, lets. Can we do meditation first?"

Ayumi's eyes widened and she nodded before pulling Kagome out of the room and down to the back gardens. She led them to a small grass clearing that was surrounded by flowers. Kagome collapsed to the ground and closed her eyes, taking in the beautiful scent of summer. The scents of growth and life filled her with happiness. Slowly, she sat up and took her meditation pose, noticing that her mother was already in place and focused. Kagome's mind almost imploded when she remembered she hadn't told her mother about someone being in her center. She growled and Ayumi opened her eyes and rose a brow.

"How _could_ I forget to tell you? Sesshomaru taught me how to reach my center and when I did, there was _someone_ else's aura in there with mine. I managed to isolate it and it crystalized into a little ball. I have no idea where it came from, how could someone get into my center?"  
Ayumi looked startled, "That's not possible. There are few ways for someone to get in without you strictly allowing them. Sesshomaru can, because you're mated, but in truth, they should only be able to get in without you, if they share some of your soul or if you're linked."

Kagome looked confused, but her mother's eyes widened into saucers.

"Give me your hands, Kagome. We're going in together. I need to look at something. Can you let me in?"

Kagome smiled sheepishly, "Okay, but if you see something not meant for your eyes, I don't want a lecture."

Ayumi grinned and chuckled softly, "Duly noted."

They both closed their eyes and Kagome took a deep breath. She imagined the river with Sesshomaru at its bank. As she watched the water flow away, the image started to turn white. Kagome imagined her mother there with her. Kagome's ears popped painfully, and then her mother was standing with her in the pure white entrance hall. Kagome nodded to her mother and grabbed her hand, leading her toward the room where the blue globe had been contained. She pushed open the door with a flair of her silver aura. The massive doors swung open and there, on a white pedestal, sat a small sea-blue orb. I pulsed faintly as it felt Kagome's aura enter the room. Kagome flared her aura out and it surrounded the small orb as they approached. Ayumi waved her hand over the orb and Kagome dropped her aura. Ayumi's lavender aura approached the orb and surrounded it. Kagome watched as it gently poked and prodded at the orb before Ayumi recalled her aura. It floated in front of her as she raised to cup it in her palm. Kagome heard her mother's gasp and was mildly startled when her mother took off at a run out the doors. She took off after her mother and they sprinted through a veritable maze of white hallways that all looked the same. After a moment, Kagome saw as her mother's aura hovered near a door and tried to push it open. She almost chuckled, but held it in so she wouldn't seem rude. Kagome's aura was _massive_ and she knew that the only person who could open the doors in her center, besides her, was Sesshomaru. Toga might be able to, but she doubted he would ever need to. Ayumi withdrew her aura and Kagome released hers with a shockwave of blinding silver light. Her aura formed into a wave and rolled through the door, effectively opening it.

Ayumi's aura darted forward again and sped into the room, the women hot on its tail. She sped to the far side and Kagome gasped at what they found. A small orb, similar to her soul, but much smaller, was hovering in the corner. Kagome noticed that it wasn't whole, it looked like a quarter of an entire soul. She gazed at it warily before her mother grabbed her hand and ripped her out of the room.

"Seal it. Seal it now", Kagome's mothered ordered in hushed tones.

Kagome threw her a sideways glance before complying with haste. She formed a chain with her aura and wrapped it around the handles. It materialized and her aura returned to her. She turned to her mother and she nodded at her.

"We're done for now."

Kagome nodded and felt her energy rise as she left her center and opened her eyes. Her mother's gaze was alive with fire and Kagome nearly flinched at its intensity.

"It's _her_ , Kagome. It's Kikyo. That was the piece of her soul."

Kagome blanched and then let out a feral snarl. Her aura exploded out of her body and it took her a moment to reign it in. She knew what had been said about her, that she was a reincarnation, but that term didn't seem fitting for what she'd just seen.

Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to find Sesshomaru standing behind her looking mildly worried. She smiled at him softly before turning back to her mother.

"I'm going to the library. I have to look into this and find out if I can rid you of her. You are _not_ her reincarnation. If you were, that piece of her soul would have fused with yours. It looked like she was just waiting and meddling with your progress. I cannot _fathom_ how she got it there in the first place."

She turned to Sesshomaru, "Can you stay with her and continue her meditation?"

He nodded and as Ayumi rose, he took her seat.

"What happened, Kagome?"  
She explained as best as she could. He looked positively murderous when Kagome was finished.

"If she has access to your center, she could have been derailing your progress for _years._ She could be the reason that you were accident prone, or why you used to have such little focus."

Kagome nodded, knowing that the bitch had to go. He relaxed a bit as he felt her determination wash over him.

"While you meditate, I want you to run through the reversal chant in your head. If you can repeat it in your center, it should be easier to memorize."

She nodded and closed her eyes, delving back into her center.

Ayumi spent hours in the library before running home to check on Souta. She found him asleep on the couch in front of the television with a pizza box resting on his chest. She smiled at him tenderly. She turned off the T.V. and removed the pizza box before covering him with a blanket and kissing his forehead. She went to the kitchen and put the kettle on, then went to her bedroom to dig through the closet for an old book. She found the one she wanted and flipped through it. She finally found the enchantment she was looking for and she looked it over dubiously. It was generally used for possession. An exorcism of sorts. She wondered if she could tweak it and make it work to remove an uninvited soul. Kagome would have to approach it first, though. Ayumi wondered idly if the soul had come to her for a reason. Many thoughts ran through her head as she gathered up the supplies she'd need to make the enchantment work. She mentally re-wrote the chant to tailor it for Kagome. Once everything was ready, she went down to make her tea and check on Souta.

* * *

After their morning training session and work out, Kagome joined Sesshomaru and his parents in the library. She sat on a carpet in the corner meditating while Toga and Sesshomaru argued over the best plan for infiltrating Kikyo's house. Kagome's mind was filled to the brim with questions about how Kikyo had invaded her center in the first place.

Sesshomaru glanced over at her occasionally when agitation would roll off of her. He had no doubt that her aura was stifling to his father and mother. It sent peace over him in waves, though. He watched as her face occasionally pinched in frustration but after a few seconds it would smooth out and her serenity would wash over him.

Sesshomaru had been discussing their entry tactic. Toga was planning on watching the camera's while Sesshomaru and Kagome entered the house. He wanted them to split up, have one of them go through the back and one through the front. Sesshomaru did _not_ agree. He wanted his eyes on Kagome at all times, though he could see the merit in attacking from both sides. He'd argued with his father until he'd relented. Toga finally agreed on the condition that they had a camera placed to watch the back door, just in case someone returned early. Once they were finally on the same page, they decided to go over the plan once they were in the house. It basically consisted of: get in, grab Inuyasha and use the reversal on him if there was time, check out the dead space from the blue prints, and get the hell out of there. If they _had_ time, they could look for information, but Toga didn't think it was necessary. He believed that once Inuyasha's heart was restored, he could give them all the information they would ever need. Sesshomaru hoped he was correct, but if not, they would continue their research, and eventually they'd weed him out.

Sesshomaru turned as the doors opened and Ayumi came rushing in looking the exact opposite as she had yesterday. She was carrying a few books and her arms were piled high with ingredients. She came to the table and dropped her things over their plans and they all looked up to her with curiosity. Except Kagome, who was still meditating in the corner, completely oblivious to their conversation. Ayumi shot her a glance before proceeding in hushed tones.

"I've done some research, I don't know how much the rest of you know, but I'll just start from the beginning. When Kagome was born, a light floated into the room and enveloped her. When it did, I didn't sense any malice coming from it, so I did nothing, assuming that she had been a reincarnate and that the other soul had joined hers. _Obviously,_ I was mistaken. I looked into Kagome's center and found that a piece of someone else's soul was hiding out inside her. When I examined it, I realized it was Kikyo's, the same entity that joined her at birth. The soul did not merge with Kagome's, which means that Kagome is _not_ a reincarnation. Yesterday, though, I noticed that the soul was angry and at war within itself. Suffice to say, we _must_ get it out of her as soon as possible. I found an enchantment that should remove it. It's usually used for possessions, but I have made some adjustments that should work. I have gathered all the-", she broke off as Kagome's aura flared out dangerously and everyone turned to see her levitating inside a silver barrier.

Ayumi double blinked, then continued, "I've gathered everything we need, but first Kagome will need to confront the soul and ask it what it wants. I believe it came to her for a reason, since it wasn't malicious originally. Once she's spoken to it, we can proceed one of two ways. We can either ask it to leave her, or force it from her center."

She watched and studied everyone's faces individually, noting the emotions passing over them. Sesshomaru looked angry but determined, while Inukimi looked ready to destroy something. Toga looked thoughtful and Izayoi looked concerned. Noting her worry, Ayumi rose a brow at her.

"Will it hurt Kagome? We can't risk doing anything that would hurt her."

Ayumi shook her head before Izayoi had even finished, "No, it shouldn't. The only way it would is if we forcibly removed it without Kagome's consent. Obviously, she's just as determined as we are, so there should be no issue."

They all nodded and turned to find Kagome meditating peacefully on the ground again, barrier nowhere in sight. Sesshomaru gestured toward her and Ayumi nodded. He went to her and sat down across from her. He raised his hand to her face and stroked her cheek softly. She cracked a small smile at him before resuming her meditation.

"Kagome, I need you to go to your center and ask Kikyo's soul what it wants."

He saw as Kagome's brow furrowed, but she nodded her understanding.

"After that, we are going to get that thing out of your center. So just make certain you get as much from it as you can."

She nodded again and they watched as she began to glow and silver wisps began to dance around her.

Kagome retreated into her mind and when she was in the white entrance hall, she padded down the cavernous hallways, following her aura to a doorway. She saw the chains that she'd placed and raised her hands to them. Her aura surrounded the chains and her thoughts rang out clearly in the corridor.

" _Be gone."_

The chains turned to ash and she pushed the door open to find the piece of soul exactly where they'd seen it yesterday. Kagome rapped her aura around her like armor and approached it after closing the door. As she neared, it began to pulsate and shimmer. She stopped about five feet away and lowered herself into a seated position. The piece of soul lowered itself to her eye line. She raised a brow at it before deciding to begin her line of questioning.

"You're Kikyo, aren't you?"  
Kagome watched as it shimmered violently, and she saw magenta light trying to escape the dark blue orb.

 _"Yes."_

Kagome stiffened as the sound floated to her ears. It was similar to Kikyo's voice, but not the same.

"Why are you here? Why did you come to me?"

She watched as it began to vibrate and eventually the surface began to crack. Magenta light streamed out of the cracks, and eventually the piece was half magenta and half blue.

" _I came to you for help. My soul has been compromised. I lived a simple existence, but after being resurrected, my soul started to turn dark. There was barely a sliver left of my pure soul on the day that you were born. I felt it when you came into this world. You, the true Shikon Miko."_

Kagome let the new information filter through her head at mock speed while she tried to focus on what the soul was saying.

 _"When I felt you come into this world, I tried to separate the pure portion of my soul and come to you. You allowed me entry, even as an infant. You felt the purity of my soul and tried to harbor me. I thought that once I was separated from the growing darkness, that this piece of my soul would be safe. I was wrong. As the rest of my soul's evil intention grew, my soul began to darken and turn as well. It began working against you. Trying to sabotage your growth in power and intelligence."_

The soul fell silent, giving Kagome time to mull things over. Kagome had noticed that it still hadn't told her what it wanted. She furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Okay, I understand. But what do you want from me now?"

 _"I want you to kill me, my body I mean. Once you do, my soul can finally depart and I will be free."_

Kagome felt its sincerity, "My family wants to banish you from my center. What will happen when they do? Will you go willingly?"

 _"Yes, I will go willingly. I will return to the rest of my soul, and I will no doubt be corrupted, but it will be worth it. I've given you my message, now all that is left is for you to complete the task."_

Kagome nodded, "If you're sure. Will the rest of your aura leave as well?"

 _"Yes. You should be free of me, if your mother found a proper way to exercise me from you. I will try to override the darkness in the rest of my piece of soul so that it will leave willingly."_

Kagome nodded, stood, and made her way back to the entrance room. In mere moments, she opened her eyes to find Sesshomaru sitting across from her, staring at her with worry in his eyes. She smiled at him tenderly, and watch as his worry melted a bit.

She turned to find everyone staring at her, and she cracked a smile at them, "You guys look like you've seen a ghost."

Their faces relaxed and Kagome gestured to her mom, "So are we going to do this thing then? The spirit said that it came to me to ask me to destroy Kikyo and set her soul free. It wants to be free and it will willingly leave my center."

Ayumi smiled at her daughter and nodded, gathering a few ingredients and a book and motioning for Kagome to join her. They moved a carpet and Ayumi instructed her to sit on the ground in her meditation pose. She drew a circle around Kagome and then placed fist size crystals around her in a circle. She sprinkled lavender water around the circle and then flicked some on Kagome for good measure. Kagome glared at her mother, _a little warning would have been nice._

When the preparations were finished, Ayumi sat cross legged in front of Kagome while holding a book and looked at her daughter dubiously, "I need you to clear your mind entirely. Don't go to your center, don't envision the river. Just clear your mind and envision yourself surrounded by white, a void, so to speak."

Kagome nodded and closed her eyes. She imagined a white void, going on for eternity and she heard her mother begin a chant. After a minute of chanting, Kagome felt a force pulling on her heart and mind. She took a deep breath to relax, and heard Sesshomaru whisper quietly behind her.

"Keep calm and remember that you want to let this soul go."

She nodded imperceptibly. She relaxed and felt the tugging sensation morph in a free-flowing energy. It felt like wind was blowing through her, and she struggled to maintain the imaginary void. After another couple of minutes, the flowing stopped and the room fell silent.

"Ka-Kagome… open your eyes…", her mother's voice was filled with fear and Kagome's eyes shot open.

A pink mirage floated next to her in the circle. It was Kikyo and Kagome stiffened at the sight of her. The mirage bowed to her and then dashed away, out of their sight. Kagome looked around the room and noticed that everyone was staring at her with incredulous looks on their faces. She turned to Sesshomaru and raised a brow as she saw the look of pure shock on his face.

He motioned at her and she looked down to see that she was glowing silver, brighter than ever before. Her aura was cocooned around her and it was _massive._ It was at least twice as big as when she'd gone into her center mere moments ago. She looked up to find Toga and Inukimi looking uncomfortable. She cocked a brow at them and Toga let out a wry chuckle.

"You mind reigning that in? As much as I hate to admit it, you're suffocating me."

Kagome let out a squeak and retracted her aura into herself. As she did, the small circle around her shuddered and then turned to dust, not being able to contain her full aura any longer. She looked to Sesshomaru and saw that he now had a shit eating, prideful grin on his face.

"She must have been blocking more of your aura than we knew."

Kagome nodded as she realized that her power had grown, yet again. She groaned a little and everyone's brows raised at her in question.

"This means more rigorous training, doesn't it?"

Sesshomaru laughed and nodded and she looked to her mother whose head was jerking up and down repeatedly.

Ayumi looked perplexed for a moment, "Kagome, I can teach you everything I know, but I honestly don't think it will be good enough. After I've taught you everything I know, you'll need to find a miko or priest with _immense_ spiritual power to train you."

Kagome nodded and turned to the rest of her family. That's when she noticed a head poking through the library door. She nearly shouted in excitement.

"Souta! Souta you little rascal, get over here!"

Little rascal, he was not. Souta was nearly eighteen now and he was easily six inches taller than Kagome. He was filling out well and was turning into a fine young man. What Ayumi _hadn't_ told Kagome, was that he'd begun to show signs of having spiritual powers himself in the last two months that she'd been absent.

Souta smiled brilliantly and ran to Kagome, successfully tackling her to the ground. She laughed jubilantly as she enveloped him in her arms. She was mildly surprised that Sesshomaru didn't growl at him, but when she looked over at him, she saw he had a small, curious smile on his face. He tapped his nose once and she realized that he could _smell_ that they were siblings, thus jealousy wasn't necessary.

She giggled and sat up with Souta next to her. A frown quickly covered her face.

"I'm so sorry I've been gone so long. We've been so busy, I haven't come to see you in ages. Oh, you must hate me. I'm so sorry Souta."

The kid looked mildly alarmed as he saw tears spring to his sisters' eyes. Attempting to do damage control, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

"Kagome, don't worry. I _know_ you have a lot on your plate right now. That's why I came with mom today. I wanted to see you, but not distract you."

He sent her an assessing glance before smiling at her, "You look happy. I'm glad you're doing well. He's taking care you, right?"

Souta's voice held sarcasm, but Sesshomaru growled quietly anyway. Souta broke into laughter when Kagome smacked Sesshomaru in the chest.

"Yes, this territorial, bossy demon is taking _very_ good care of me."

A wide grin split the siblings' faces as Sesshomaru scowled. The rest of the day was spent in relative bliss. Kagome and Souta caught up with each other while Kagome was perched in Sesshomaru's lap. Ayumi talked with them while Inukimi and Toga continued looking into Naraku. Izayoi had joined everyone in their conversation, and she noticed that Sesshomaru was oddly silent. Usually he would join the conversation, even if only for a moment; to ask questions or point something out. Izayoi noted the firm set of his brow and realized that he was rife with worry. She knew that he was concerned for Kagome's wellbeing going into this mission, but she hadn't realized how thoroughly distraught he was until this moment. She sighed internally. It was all because of her son that they were in this position. The guilt was overwhelming. She nearly squeaked when she noticed that Sesshomaru was now gazing at her. He'd smelled her guilt and worry and became curious as to why she was fretting now.

The room fell silent and Sesshomaru glanced up to Kagome and realized she'd asked him something. He raised a brow at her, indicating that he hadn't been listening. She chuckled at him.

"When are we going to retrieve Inuyasha?"

"The day after tomorrow. Tomorrow I was planning to take you to the demon market to obtain proper armor for you."

Her eyes lit up in wonderment and she smiled brilliantly, "That sounds wonderful. I've always wanted to see the demon market. Will it be okay that I'm there?"

He scoffed, "Of course. You're my mate. They'll respect your position and treat you accordingly."

Kagome heard the unsaid, _or else_ , that came with his statement. She chuckled at him and he rose a brow at her.

The sun started to set and Toga and Inukimi wrapped up their work. Kagome started to nod off against Sesshomaru's chest while Souta and his mother had been talking. Sesshomaru rose from their seat with her in his arms and nodded to everyone.

"This little one needs to go home. I will see you all tomorrow. It was nice to meet you, Souta."

Souta bowed slightly to Sesshomaru as he turned toward the door. As he passed through the door, he felt a hand on his elbow. He turned to find Izayoi smiling up at him tentatively.

"Everything will go well. Try not to worry too much. If you get too distracted, it will be dangerous."

Sesshomaru nodded and Izayoi patted his arm before he left.

* * *

As promised, Sesshomaru took Kagome to the demon market. Kagome was speechless as they walked through it. It must have covered an entire mile of the city, and she was struck by its diversity. There were demons of every kind milling about and browsing stalls. She noticed there was a distinct lack of humans, but she saw a few manning stalls or walking with their mates through the market. As they exited the fringe and made their way into the thick of the market, Sesshomaru sent a pulse of his yoki at her.

She turned to him and he bent his head to whisper in her ear, "Remember how we exited the restaurant the other day? I need you to do that again. Focus on keeping your thought's hidden."

She nodded, all at once realizing the importance of her image. She was Sesshomaru's mate, and she could not afford to make him look weak. She squared her shoulders and straightened her spine until she was walking as regally as Sesshomaru. She let a mask of indifference cover her face as she looked straight ahead, never deigning to look at anyone directly. Her peripheral vision was having an excellent day, though, and she was taking in as much of the market as she could without letting her scent spike in excitement.

From what she gleaned from her periphery, there were hundreds of stalls and shops selling everything you could imagine. She saw shoes, weapons, clothes, books, ingredients, food and so much more. The market was drowning in luminous color and booming with noise. A demon stalked toward her, oblivious to his surroundings and Kagome and Sesshomaru released their auras simultaneously. The man raised his head with a slight growl on his face until he recognized the auras.

The market turned deathly silent as everyone started to notice the interaction. The great and powerful Lord Sesshomaru was visiting the market and he was with a _woman._ Not just any woman, but a stunningly beautiful human woman with a massive aura. Their aura's stunned the on-lookers, nearly suffocating some of the weaker beings. Kagome let her aura return to her slowly, and Sesshomaru did as well. The demon that had nearly bumped into her looked near tears. Kagome knew that it wasn't above Sesshomaru to behead someone that touched his mate, or nearly did. She let her mind work fast, trying to figure out a way to look bad ass, in control, _and_ save the demons life. A thought struck her.

"You nearly ran me over. See to it that it does not happen again. Next time, I may not be so _gracious_."

She hissed out the last word and flared her aura at him. She saw him flinch, and she felt bad for scaring the demon who hadn't truly done anything wrong. She waved her arm at him, effectively dismissing him. He lurched away from them and ran out of their sight. Sesshomaru leveled the crowd with a glare, and they all went back to their business. Kagome had the distinct feeling that they were just pretending to be busy now. She wanted to laugh, but knew it wouldn't look proper.

Sesshomaru tugged on Kagome's hand, pulling her further into the market. Once he found the shop he was looking for, they slipped inside. The shop was relatively empty, with the exception of a demoness that made Kagome want to squeal in fear. She wasn't particularly strong, but the way she looked sent tremors down Kagome's spine. The demoness had black marks on her face, over her eyelids, and down her face. She had two normal arms and legs, but what really struck her was the woman's six spider legs that extended out from her back. _Err, cephalothorax, I guess? If she's a spider then she wouldn't really have a back..._

She was torn out of her rambling thoughts by Sesshomaru clearing his throat. Sesshomaru, having sensed Kagome's distraction, cleared his throat to bring her back to reality. He watched with satisfaction as she double blinked, then turned to him with focus in her gaze. He turned back to the spider demon.

"This is my mate, Lady Kagome. I've come to acquire some armor for her, as you well know from our conversation yesterday,"

She nodded and approached Kagome with a bow, "My lady, I am a spinstress. I spin the material for the clothing, and am a seamstress. My name is Charlotte. I am pleased to have you in my shop."

Kagome burst into laughter before she could quell it. She turned sheepish under Sesshomaru's glare. She turned to the spider demoness who looked, frankly, partially confused and partially amused.

"My apologies, Charlotte. I only found it fitting that as a spider demon, you would be named Charlotte."

Charlotte smiled kindly at her, she liked the human. She had a great sense of humor. She looked up to the lord's face and found confusion written there. She chuckled at him.

"It's a children's book that humans are fond of, My Lord. Charlotte's Web; it is the tale of a spider befriending a pig that was the runt of the litter. My mother was quite fond of it."

Sesshomaru nodded, realizing that Kagome had not insulted the demoness, yet they had apparently bonded over such a trivial matter. He nearly rolled his eyes at the women, they were so simple and complex at the same time.

Charlotte waved to them, bringing them to the back of the shop. Kagome saw that there were a few mannequins with armor adorning them. In the center of the room, Kagome spotted a set of lightweight armor that was entirely black. It looked like a demon slayer's uniform from the feudal era, and she liked it immensely. She noticed that it seemed to be her size. She turned to Sesshomaru with a raised brow.

"I called her yesterday with your measurement so that she could have them nearly done when we arrived."

Charlotte nodded, "All that's left is for you to pick the finishing touches. Color and adornment, should you wish it."

Kagome thought carefully. She loved the black, but she felt it was missing something. She nearly squealed when she realized what it needed.

"I would like it to be all black, save for a silver crescent moon over the left breast, where the heart is."

She heard Sesshomaru's slight intake of breath, and saw charlotte's eyes widen. She turned to Sesshomaru and saw a grin hiding in the corners of his mouth. She smiled brilliantly at him and turned back to the demoness.

"That will be an easy adjustment to make. If you'd like to wait, it will only be a few hours."

Sesshomaru nodded and made to leave, but Kagome wanted to ask Charlotte a few questions.

"Charlotte, do you only do armor, or can you make other garments as well?"

Charlotte's eyes widened at Kagome's friendly approach, "I can create all different kinds of clothing. I do kimonos and traditional wear, as well as human clothing and demon every day wear. My special talent is being able to imbibe my creations with special abilities. I can use ingredients to make a garment more flexible, lightweight, or resistant to poison. That is why I am well known for my armor. It can lend a good advantage to warriors, though the cost is never cheap."

Kagome looked her over carefully, she was stunning once you got past the extra legs. This woman had obvious talent.

"Do you work freelance or do you stick with clients?"

Charlotte nodded, seeing where Kagome was going with this, "Both. I've worked for Lord Sesshomaru's family for decades, but I also take anyone willing to pay the price for my goods."

Kagome smiled wide, "Well, then I'd like to keep you on retainer. If you don't mind, that is. I would _love_ to pick your brain about some idea's I've had."

Charlotte's eyes widened in awe, _where had Lord Sesshomaru found this wonderful human?_ She smiled at Kagome softly.

"I would be honored, my Lady."

Kagome scowled, "Please, call me Kagome. We'll be back in a bit, and then we can exchange numbers!"

Charlotte nodded and Sesshomaru pushed Kagome toward the door with a roll of his eyes. Seeing that they were alone in the front of the shop, he pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on her lips. She smiled up at him.

"That was marvelous, by the way. What you did in the market."

She smiled and blushed, obviously still not used to praise.

"What would you like to look at?"

Kagome shook her head, "I'm not sure. Can we just wander the stalls for a while?"

He nodded and led her out into the market again. For the next two hours, Sesshomaru followed closely as Kagome flitted from stall to stall, looking through the wares. She found a stall selling books and he watched as she held in a squeal of excitement. She thumbed through the volumes until she found two that interested her. One was a book full of enchantments, and Kagome couldn't tell if she'd be able to use it, or if it was for sorceresses. She didn't care though, she wanted it. She found another book that was, apparently, a romance novel written by a demon. Once she'd found the ones she wanted, she looked up into Sesshomaru's eyes with what he was learning to call, the puppy dog face. He thought it was quite beneath her to apply such tactics toward him. She could have anything she wanted, all she needed to do was ask. But as he stared down into her oceanic gaze, he knew he'd allow her to get away with it.

He fought back a smile as he nodded at her and paid for the books. He watched her attempt to hide her excitement again, and he wanted to chuckle at her. They wandered for a little while longer, before coming upon a food stall. It looked to be meat skewered on a stick and he realized that he was hungry. As he looked to Kagome, he noticed she looked like a dog eyeing a bone. He ordered a few and paid, then walked with Kagome back toward the spinstress' shop. He watched as Kagome scarfed down her food and he maintained as much dignity as he could, though eating in public was never his favorite activity.

They entered the shop to find Charlotte waiting for them at the counter. She had two parcels and a box waiting on the counter, ready to go. Kagome eyed the clothing excitedly. She couldn't wait to try it on. Sesshomaru payed Charlotte a _hefty_ sum, and then the two women exchanged numbers. Kagome and Sesshomaru made their way back out of the market with no incidents and got into the car. She placed her new belongings in the back seat and settled in for the drive home.

Weariness settled over her during the drive. She knew that tomorrow they'd be attempting to retrieve Inuyasha, and she'd been meditating her butt of in order to memorize the reversal chant. She'd finally gotten it done correctly, and she knew that she was ready. Nervousness had begun to spread in her mind. They were practically waltzing into the lion's den tomorrow, and she was terrified that something might happen to Sesshomaru. She knew that Naraku and Kikyo wanted her alive so that they could get the jewel out of her and torture her. She could live with that, but if they got ahold of Sesshomaru, she didn't know if she could manage to get through it. He was, for all intents and purposes, her life now. They spent nearly every waking moment together and she loved him dearly. He wasn't a target, as much as he was a nuisance to them. If they could kill him, she'd be easier to subdue, and she _knew_ that they knew that.

She tried to stamp down her worry as she felt Sesshomaru's keen gaze on her. She knew he was already worried about what would happen tomorrow, and she didn't need her emotions making it worse. She'd finally decided that she was going to tell him that she loved him. She would tell him tonight, so that tomorrow, no matter what happened, he would know that she loved him. She didn't expect him to say it back, she knew he _hated_ voicing his emotions.

She stayed silent during the ride home, and Sesshomaru felt a multitude of her emotions rolling over her. He wondered, at first, what was going through her head, but he finally realized that she must just be nervous about tomorrow. It was natural, of course. Tomorrow was the first battle that she would participate in since she'd begun her training. He was internally praying to all the kamis that she came out in one piece.

As they pulled into the garage, Sesshomaru grabbed her packages in one arm, and led her to the elevator with his other. When the elevator closed, Kagome wrapped herself around him in a tight hug. She breathed in his scent and tried to memorize it, all the while praying everything would be okay tomorrow.

She released him as they reached their floor, and followed him to the apartment. Once inside, Sesshomaru handed her the packages and nudged her toward the bedroom. A look of excitement covered her face and she snatched the packages up and booked it into the bedroom. He chuckled at her retreating form.

In a few minutes, Kagome returned and Sesshomaru nearly groaned in satisfaction at the sight of her. He thought she looked alluring in her training uniform, but this was so much _more_ alluring that he felt himself harden just looking at her.

She was covered from head to neck in black armor that clung to her body like second skin. It was the darkest shade of black, and it contrasted beautifully to the smooth ivory of her face and hands. The boots were made of dragon skin, and he knew that she loved them by the way she placed her feet out in front of her and stared at them in awe. All in all, the armor was like spandex, but with a compact chest plate, arm guards, and shin and thigh plates. The back had extra reinforcement over her spine. He'd asked for it specifically because he'd known that if humans got spinal injuries, most either died or never walked again. She looked positively deadly and ravishing. His eyes fell on the crescent moon that adorned her heart and he felt his chest swell with pride and possession. Now everyone that saw her in it would automatically know that she was his.

She cocked her eyebrows at him, "Well, how does it look?"

He growled at her and pulled her into his arms, "You know how it looks. You're stunning, Kagome."

He lowered his mouth to hers and pulled her into a long and invigorating kiss. Before long, she was flush against him, panting and moaning into his mouth. She broke away from him with a content sigh.

"I'm going to change. Want to come with me? I have something I want to tell you."

He raised a brow at her before nodding and following her into the bedroom. He watched, on baited breath, as she began to take off her new armor. He was waiting, impatiently, for her to elaborate. In no hurry, Kagome took off the chest plate and the limb guards one by one before turning to Sesshomaru with affectionate eyes.

"I know that we've only been together for a few months, and that we've only been mated for a few weeks. All of that aside, I thought you should know that I love you, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru's insides seized at her words and his chest grew warm. He rose to join her but stopped as he saw her peal the shoulder of her armor down and saw a small lacy strap adorning her shoulder. He stood there in shock, with his mouth hanging open, as Kagome removed the rest of her armor. She had a lacy black thong and matching sheer black bra on and when she peeled the outfit off her legs, he thought he'd have a heart attack. She was wearing black stockings that were held up by a small lacy garter belt. He gulped audibly and Kagome saw that his eyes were turning crimson. She took a step toward him and found herself in his arms on the bed.

His lips travelled over her porcelain skin in fevered passion. He trailed his claws over her abdomen and growled in pleasure as she trembled with need. She groaned as she felt his mouth kiss down from her breasts to her naval. She jumped a little, then moaned as he dipped is tongue into her naval. He kissed his way down to her thighs, and made a point to avoid where she wanted him most. She groaned in need as he pulled her panties aside and blew cold air over her tender flesh. He brought the pad of his thumb to her pearl and stroked it gently, with barely any pressure while he trailed kisses over the joint of her pelvis. She moaned heavily, mewling his name. Her moaning quickly turned into begging as he allowed his mouth to travel downward, toward her peak. She ground up into him, attempting to get the pressure she wanted, but he chuckled at her and kept his touch feather light. He ran his tongue over the tender skin of her hip and she mewled in delight. He applied a bit more pressure on her pearl, and he heard as her pleasure began to grow. As she neared her climax, he noticed as her eyes started to clench shut and her moans grew breathy. When she was nearly there, he bit one of his claws off, slid it inside her and latched onto her clit with his mouth.

She came immediately, moaning, writhing and calling his name. He felt it as her cavern gripped his finger deliciously. After she'd stopped convulsing and he'd lapped up her release, she pulled him onto the bed and pushed him to his back. He complied, willingly, wondering what the little minx was up to. She motioned for him to sit up and removed his clothes with lightning speed. As she pulled off his pants, his erection sprung free and stood at attention. He groaned as she wrapped her hands around it at the base and began stroking him firmly. She slid her thumb over the tip before sliding his stiff cock into her mouth. He nearly leapt off the bed as she took him into her wet, warm mouth. She began a torturous rhythm, gliding her tongue over him and sucking him with wonderful pressure. She noticed as his thighs flexed underneath her and she wanted to smirk. She looked up into his eyes from underneath her lashes as she took him to the hilt. He groaned and cupped the back of her head with his palm, all but begging her to go faster. She complied with a wicked grin and allowed him to guide her movements with his hand. He gently nudged the back of her head, pushing her to a faster rhythm that had him growling in ecstasy. She felt as his cock twitched in her mouth and his legs flexed again in rhythm. She knew he was getting close, so she lowered her free hand to his soft egg shaped stones and rolled them in her palm. She felt him convulse a bit and resisted the urge to smile. Without missing a beat, Sesshomaru pulled her up and placed her in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she steadied his cock at her entrance. Without waiting another second, he thrusted inside her.

She called out his name and she pressed him down into the bed and began her own rhythm. Gliding up and down, she felt her pleasure begin to bloom in the pit of her stomach. Keeping a steady, torturous rhythm, she raked her nails across his chest and he growled in pleasure. He felt as her walls began to grip him desperately, and heard her moans begin to rise in pitch. Seeing his chance, he grabbed her hips and began thrusting into her mercilessly, driving her to her orgasm. She cried out in pleasure and he felt her gripping him tightly. He rolled them and positioned her underneath him and ran his hand over her chest, freeing a nipple. Lowering his head to the tiny bud, he flicked his tongue across it and Kagome mewled softly. Latching onto it, he brought his hand to the other and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger.

Kagome moaned and he watched as pleasure began to build in her again. His pace was torture for her, he'd thrust in slowly, then pull back and thrust twice quickly. Then slowly twice, and fast again, three times. Her nerves were nearly fried and her entire body was over sensitive and every touch sent lightning through her veins. As her need kept climbing, she watched as Sesshomaru brought his face up to hers. He cupped her face in his hands.

"Say it again", he demanded in a growl.

She moaned softly, as he slid in slowly, torturously.

"I love you, Sesshomaru."

He growled and lowered his mouth to hers, feasting on it. He ripped his mouth from hers and buried his face in her neck.

"I love you, Kagome. Only you."

Surprise and pleasure rocketed through her as he said it and almost instantly, he started thrusting hard and fast and she was lost. She came in a tidal wave of sensation and emotion and she felt when he reached his peak. He growled and latched onto the side of her neck and their aura's exploded into the room. He kept stroking slowly until he had no more seed left to give her, and she had stopped shaking in the aftermath. He gathered her into his arms and rolled so that she was lying across his chest and he was still nestled inside of her.

She raised her head to look into his eyes, "Say it again."

A small smile lit up his face, "I love you."

He heard her intake of breath before she kissed him passionately. When she came up for air, she had tears in her eyes.

"I love you too, Sesshomaru."

* * *

 _ **Hey everyone. Thank you for reading.**_

 _ **Feel free to leave a comment or review. Feed back helps the writing process a lot, and I want to know if you're all enjoying the story!**_

 _ **Also, check out the first chapter of my new story, Business Associates! I just posted it!**_

 _ **\- Love**_

 _ **KJ**_


	12. Chapter 12: Broken

**Okay folks. Here's the big one. It's shorter then the last few, but you'll see why. Please review. I want to know how this chapter affected y'all.**

 **Thank you for reading.**

 **Fair warning, this chapter might make you cry.**

Disclaimer: **I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

Morning came too soon, and as Sesshomaru laid there, he watched Kagome sleep peacefully. She hadn't had nightmares in a few weeks, and he hoped they stayed away. He'd vowed to protect her, but he couldn't protect her from her own mind. He watched as she breathed softly, snuggled into his chest. Her hair fanned out over them both and her scent permeated the air. The air was thick with her contentment, happiness, and her innate scent. He breathed it in, trying to memorize it, and noticed it was a bit sweeter than normal. He thought over what could have brought the change, but was pulled out of his thoughts when she stirred.

A smile lifted at her lips and her once loose arms, curled around him while a happy groan fell from her lips. Her heart rate picked up a bit, and he watched as she rose her head and blinked down at him. She smiled at him, sending warmth into his chest. She laid her head back down and planted a soft kiss on his chest.

He scowled as he heard his phone vibrate on the nightstand. Kagome grumbled at the noise and Sesshomaru chuckled at her as he picked up his phone. His father had texted him a few times. Sighing slightly, he checked the texts.

 **T: We're still on for today, correct?**

 **T: Did Kagome get her armor?**

 **T: Meet me at the house at ten.**

Sesshomaru checked the clock and realized it was already past nine

 **S: We'll be there as soon as possible. Kagome's still asleep. She got her armor, and yes, the plan still holds.**

Sesshomaru set his phone down and caressed Kagome's head. She peaked up at him before scowling.

"It's time to get up, isn't it?"

He nodded and smiled as she grumbled and burrowed deeper into the blankets.

"Don't make me pull you out of there."

She huffed and popped her head out with a scowl. She gestured toward his phone.

"Who was that?"

"My father."

Her eyes brightened and she smiled softly, "Checking in on us?"

He nodded, "He wants us at the house at ten."

She looked at the clock and grumbled.

"That means we have to get up now." Her voice was almost whiney and he chuckled at her.

He nodded but pulled her into his embrace and held for a few minutes longer. She settled in and as he felt her heart rate start to slow again, he knew it was time to get up. He lifted her and rose, bringing her to her feet. She grumbled and made her way to the closet as he chuckled at her.

"I'll make tea. Make sure you wear your new armor."

She nodded sleepily and he went off to the kitchen. Kagome's heart picked up as she considered the coming day. They still had hours before they went to Kikyo's but she felt her nerves ramp up in anxiety and excitement. She dressed slowly and went to the kitchen to find Sesshomaru finishing up the tea. She noticed the anxiety in the lines of his shoulders and the way he flitted his eyes around the room.

As she approached, he pressed the cup of tea in her hands and went to change. Feeling a bit worried about him, she followed and sat in the chair in their room and watched him dress. She was still captivated by the sight of him. His long toned body and sleek silver hair. He pulled out a set of armor that she'd never seen him wear before. It was similar to hers, but it had red embellishments on the cuffs. She noticed that his, too, had a crescent moon over the heart. Her chest warmed at the sight of it. It was pleasantly erotic to watch as the black cloth covered his alabaster skin. His pants were just as tight as hers, up to the crotch region. Once there, the material flowed loosely to give him room to move and breathe. The top portion was basically a tank top on him and she groaned as she saw his beautifully muscled arms on display. He chuckled at her and began to put on his chest plate and limb guards. She saw him searching for something, and she realized it was a hair tie. She leapt off the chair and grabbed the nearest one before pointing at the bed, commanding that he sit.

He raised a brow at her but complied. She ran her fingers through his hair and pulled it back smoothly, noticing that his hair didn't even knot. She wondered idly if even his hair was afraid of him, so much so that it didn't even dare to step a single strand out of line. She chuckled at the thought and pulled the beautiful mass of silver into a tight bun on top of his head. After she anchored it, she turned his head to assess the outcome.

She groaned as she realized how edible he looked. He raised a brow at her in question.

"You look edible. Remind me to bully you into putting your hair up more often."

He smirked at her and pulled her into his arms, noting once again her abnormally sweet smell. She smiled at him before kissing him softly. They rose and made their way to the car, and soon found themselves in the library of the Western Estate once again.

* * *

Kagome ran the reversal through her mind and fretted for most of the day while Sesshomaru spoke at her, running over the entry plan. Sesshomaru and her mother had finished preparing the powder, and the rest was up to her. She made sure to grab an extra piece of chalk for the circle she'd need. She waited in the corner, fidgeting with anxiety, while the rest of the family watched the monitors outside of Kikyo's house. Eventually Sesshomaru grew impatient. He walked over to Kagome and plucked her out of her chair and carried her over to her meditation corner. He set her on the ground and sat across from her. She took a deep breath and tried to focus to her best ability. Once inside her center, she breathed a sigh of relief. Soothing calm flowed off of her and she felt her fears melt away as her center reminded her of her strength and everything she'd done to prepare for this.

She knew the reversal by heart and she'd almost completely memorized the floor plan. They were going to sneak in through the front and Sesshomaru was going to use his yoki to locate Inuyasha. Once they'd done that, Sesshomaru would knock Inuyasha out and she'd perform the reversal. If everything went according to plan, they'd then check out the dead space from the blue prints. Afterward, they'd get the hell out of there. If they got separated for any reason, they were to meet back at the estate. In the meantime, Toga would be monitoring the cameras for Kikyo's return or any uninvited visitors.

Kagome thought that the plan was well thought out, as long as nothing unexpected happened. But she knew that in these scenarios, things very rarely went according to plan. Thus, her anxiety ridden state. Her center was doing wonders to calm her fears, but after a while she felt a tap on her shoulder and opened her eyes to find everyone staring at her. She cocked her head to the side in question.

"Do you mind retracting some of your aura? You're smothering them."

She looked to Inukimi and Toga and saw their pinched brows. She squeaked in guilt and retracted it immediately. She mumbled her apologies before delving back in.

The others watched as Kagome wrestled with her aura, keeping it contained just enough that they weren't uncomfortable. They had also noticed that her anxiety had vanished almost instantly upon entering her center. Ayumi was very impressed with Sesshomaru. He knew exactly how she was feeling and what needed to be done to calm her. She knew that the two of them would work well together, and she felt wistful tears fill her eyes as she watched their interactions.

* * *

Kagome stood enshrouded in the darkness of the tree she hid behind. Sesshomaru stood behind another large tree some ten feet away from her. They were positioned across from the gate that led to Kikyo's house. Kagome and Sesshomaru had hidden their auras and scents and laid in wait for the order to go from Toga. Kagome saw Sesshomaru bring his phone up to his ear. Seconds later, his eyes were on her and he was nodding, giving her the signal to go. She checked the street and saw that it was empty, the bolted across the road and to the gate and scaled it quickly. She scowled as she saw Sesshomaru just leap over it. She wanted to poke fun at him, but she knew this was _not_ the right time.

They made their way stealthily across the lawn, continuously searching for threats. She noticed that it was deathly quiet and it made her uncomfortable. She approached the front door and expected to find it locked, but as she turned the handle, it swung open freely. Her eyes shot up to Sesshomaru, something wasn't right. Why would they keep their door unlocked? Kagome knew that they'd already come too far and that this might be their only chance, so she wasn't surprised when Sesshomaru pressed on and entered the house. She kept close to him, as ordered, as they silently padded into the house.

She let her gaze flow over the rooms as they passed. Everything was lavishly furnished and it looked like whoever had paid for this house, had money to spend. Every room was stylish and well decorated and she noticed that it smacked of greed. There were gold adornments everywhere and ungodly expensive paintings and sculptures stationed in every room. Kagome's unease increased as she saw a case with a traditional set of miko garbs inside it. They were identical to the one's Kagome had seen Kikyo in during the feudal era. Kagome wouldn't have been surprised if those were the ones she'd seen her in.

Kagome's hands were resting on her belt, one on her sword, and the other on a sai. She focused on the sounds, searching for any sign of life, but it was as silent as death in the house. She switched to using her sense of smell and almost vomited when she inhaled through her nose.

The mixture of sweat, sex, death, Kikyo, and Inuyasha filled her nose. For some reason the scent made her nauseous and she immediately went back to breathing through her mouth, praying that she could keep the scents at bay. The nausea rolled through her and she had to fight to keep herself from vomiting. The scents had nearly over whelmed her and she instantly cursed Sesshomaru and his strong sense of smell.

She pricked her ears, and noticed that Sesshomaru had stopped. She felt it as he let a wave of his yoki sneak through the house and saw him cock his head to the side. He jerked his head toward the back of the house and she saw him narrow his eyes. He motioned for her to follow, but as they turned a corner, Kagome saw a small niche that was off centered. She cocked her head at it and, without thinking, went to investigate. She approached it and before she reached it, something crashed against her skull and her world went dark.

Sesshomaru stalked through the house silently, not realizing that Kagome was not by his side any longer. She'd learned how to be silent and mask her scent and aura, so he just assumed she was following. He darted down hallways until he came upon a door that lead to a bedroom. He cocked his head to the side and breathed through his nose. He regretted it instantly. He noticed upon arrival that the entire house reeked of Inuyasha and Kikyo and the scent of their coupling. It was positively foul to his sensitive nose. If he'd thought it was bad at the front of the house, now the scent was positively toxic. _This must be their bedroom_ , Sesshomaru thought as the rancid scent filtered through his nose. The smell of death, clay, and Inuyasha were expected. The other scents were what made him want to retch. The smell of seed and sex and every kind of debauchery you can think of was permeating the chamber and escaping from under the lip in the door. He knew that he'd have to cut off his sense of smell entirely if he was to survive in that room. He pulsed his yoki out a bit and noticed that Inuyasha was in the bedroom alone. Sesshomaru turned the handle and opened the door to find Inuyasha sitting there, waiting for him with a sword in his hand. Sesshomaru stiffened as he recognized the sword. It was one of father's fangs.

Rage flowed through him at the thought of Inuyasha _stealing_ his father's fang. He knew that the fang was a gift for Inuyasha, a gift that he'd only receive once he'd earned it. Sesshomaru couldn't fathom how his father had not noticed its absence.

He growled at Inuyasha and he raised his head to him with a wolfish grin on his face. His face fell a bit and he growled.

"Where's the girl?"

Sesshomaru whipped his head around to find that Kagome was gone. Sesshomaru turned back toward his half-brother and growled fiercely.

"This isn't over yet."

With that he turned and ran back toward where he'd seen Kagome last, but before he'd made it to the main hallway. He felt Inuyasha's furious aura push against him. Turning, he saw that Inuyasha had leapt toward him with his claws outstretched. Sesshomaru stopped and swung his leg through the air, connecting solidly with Inuyasha's face. He heard a sickening crunch as Inuyasha's jaw broke and he went crashing to the ground. The hanyou started to rise, but Sesshomaru was gone, running back to find Kagome. As he entered the hall he pulsed his aura throughout the house, no longer trying to be stealthy. He felt nothing in return, her aura was still being masked and he could not smell her either.

As he reached his hand up to his mark to feel for her location through their bond, a clawed hand grasped his shoulder, claws puncturing through his skin. He turned to find Inuyasha throwing a punch toward his face. Sesshomaru's fury ignited and he caught the fist and twisted his wrists, snapping it in half. He heard the sickening snap and Inuyasha yowled in pain. Sesshomaru's patience vanished and he began to pound into Inuyasha. His fists connected with Inuyasha's face over and over again. Bones were being broken and his blood poured out onto the ground.

Sanity rushed into his brain all at once, he was wasting time. He had to find Kagome, now.

Kagome was roused by a painful tugging sensation on her scalp. She tried to hiss in pain, but realized that something was covering her mouth. Her eyes snapped open and she saw that Kikyo had her by the hair. She yanked back on her hair, pulling Kagome's head back so that she was looking up into her face. Kikyo glared down at her and smirked as she realized that Kagome was awake. Kikyo released her hair and Kagome saw that she held a strand of it carefully between he fingers.

Kagome took a quick inventory of her body. Her head was pounding and her mouth was covered. Her arms and legs were being restrained with reiki. She was practically hog tied, her arms were tied to her feet and she was perched up in a kneeling position on her knees. She glanced around the room and it sickened her when she realized what she was seeing.

A black altar was at the forefront of the room with melted candles covering its perimeter. There were crystals on the alter and she saw there was dried blood covering them and the alters surface. A large pot was bubbling over a hot plate and Kagome grimaced at the poorly constructed scene. It looked like a sorceress's lair and Kagome wanted to laugh, she would have if she hadn't been in such a shitty position.

Kagome snapped her head toward Kikyo as she realized she was speaking.

"-wretched miko. You should have just minded your own and waited for us to kill you. That would have been a sweeter fate, but no. You had to come down here and meddle with Inuyasha. You can't have him. He's mine."

Kagome scowled under her bindings. She watched as Kikyo added the hair she'd torn from Kagome to the pot and stirred it. The liquid changed colors and then she added the final ingredient, snake venom. The liquid congealed and the scent wafted into Kagome's nose, almost making her retch. Kikyo scooped a bit into a vial and then approached Kagome with a vicious smile on her face. She lowered to her haunches to look Kagome in the eyes.

"I'm going to make you watch as I kill him, as I torture him."

Kagome's eyes widened and she fought against her bonds. Kikyo laughed and the grating sound hurt Kagome's ears and sent a shiver down her spine. Kikyo knocked back the vial and swallowed its contents. Kagome watched in horror as Kikyo transformed into Kagome. To be honest, there wasn't much that needed to be changed. Kikyo's outfit shimmered and was identical to Kagome's and her face softened and her hair and eyes morphed to mirror her own.

"And just so you don't get any ideas, I'm putting you in a sound proof barrier. He won't be able to hear you, smell you, or see you. Enjoy yourself." She smirked, threw up her hand and a barrier descended over Kagome. She strode to the other side of the room before busying herself searching through the contents of the room.

Kagome felt dread roll through her. She prayed that Sesshomaru would be able to tell the difference between them. There had to be something about her that Kikyo couldn't emulate. Kagome watched with horrified eyes as Sesshomaru burst into the room.

Kagome saw as his eyes landed on Kikyo and he let out a sigh of relief. Then his head cocked to the side and he raised his hand to his neck. Kagome wondered if Kikyo could mirror her mating mark, but she knew that it wasn't possible. A mating mark was unique and none were identical. They were specific between the couple and were incredibly hard to break. Hope filled her veins and she saw Sesshomaru's eyes narrow as he felt it through their mark.

Kikyo turned to see him in the door way and her false face went soft.

"There you are. Look what I found! It seems to be a dark miko's lair. It must be Kikyo's."

Kagome wanted to smirk, she was _never_ that formal with him, and she prayed that Sesshomaru would notice. He circled around her and approached slowly, his nose twitching. Kikyo cocked her head at him.

"What's wrong?"

In under a second, he had her by the throat, pushed up against the wall. His claws were ready to penetrate her skin and her face showed shock.

"Where is she? Where is _my_ Kagome?"

Sesshomaru's eyes were narrowed and Kikyo sputtered.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Sesshomaru, _it's me._ "

Kagome saw as his hold loosened slightly, then resumed its crushing pressure on her throat.

"I do not repeat myself." He snarled it out and Kagome saw Kikyo's face falter. Her plan hadn't worked.

A nasty smile lit up her face, "Well, I had hoped to fool you for a bit longer, but this still works in my favor."

She lifted her free palm and blew into his face. A fine powder flew through the air and into his nose. He'd just been taking a breath and he inhaled the powder accidentally. Almost immediately, he released her and fell to his knees, the powder doing its job to paralyze him. He growled menacingly and tried to raise his arm, but it didn't move. Fury rolled through him and Kagome tried to struggle free from her bonds.

Kagome froze and she watched with horror as Kikyo's hand turned translucent and she plunged it into his chest. She struggled to free herself again and then Kikyo wrenched her arm out, bringing Sesshomaru's still beating heart with her. Kagome's entire body was seized in crushing pain. Her insides tore and lit on fire as her bond was slowly being broken. She writhed against the pain and her bonds as she felt her mating mark being burned away. Tears rolled down her face as the pain radiated from her head to her toes. She felt like every bone in her body was breaking. As the pain started to abate, Kagome's aura welled up with astounding force and fury.

Kagome burst into heart wrenching screams and sobs of agony. She threw herself and her aura against her bonds brutally and with a tidal wave of power, the bonds snapped and Kagome rose to her feet. Her aura swirled around her like a hurricane and Kikyo's eyes rose to her in horror. Tears coursed down her face as she rose her hand to her neck. Her mark was gone, their bond was broken, and she was no longer mated to Sesshomaru. A piercing howl of anguish tore from Kagome's throat and she took a menacing step toward Kikyo.

Kikyo smiled venomously and whispered to Sesshomaru, "Get her."

Kagome's eyes widened as Sesshomaru lunged for her. On impulse, she threw up a barrier and broke into sobs as he ran into it and his flesh was burned by its purity. She summoned a whip to her hand and lashed out at Sesshomaru, catching him by the ankle and flipping him onto his back. She turned and ran blindly through the door, throwing up a barrier to block the exit. She only got a few feet before she tripped over something on the floor. She went down hard and as she raised her head, she gasped at the sight of Inuyasha. He looked like he'd been beaten to death, but she sighed in relief as she saw that he was breathing.

She quickly threw up a barrier that made them undetectable. She grabbed the small pouch that held the powder and blew it into his face. She saw his muscles relax and she drew a circle around him and placed a few small crystals around the circle. She placed her hands on him and narrowed her gaze.

"Inuyasha, I know you can hear me. You're going to come back to me and you're going to help me get him back, or so help me I will fucking butcher you here and now."

She growled it out and then began her chant. She felt her hands grow warm and she felt her massive energy swirl around them. After minutes of chanting, Kagome's eyes snapped open as a ball of red light came hurtling toward them. It suspended in the air just above Inuyasha's chest before slamming into him. She watched him seize and twitch for a few moments before he settled and his posture relaxed. She then laid her hands on him and pushed as much of her healing aura into him as she could without depleting her energy.

After a few moments, she saw Inuyasha's injuries fade and he looked as good as new when she was done. She expected him to wake up and open his eyes, but when he didn't she sighed in agitation. She pushed her grief down and pulled him up with her. He was heavy as hell, but she'd been training hard and she was capable of carrying him.

She dragged Inuyasha through the house while maintaining her barrier. It was slow going, but eventually she got outside and to the gates. She considered trying to climb them again, but she knew it wouldn't be possible. She threw her aura out at the gate and it almost disintegrated under her power. She noticed that her aura was magenta again and tears threatened to spill over. She fought through the emotion and dragged Inuyasha the three blocks to their car. She threw him into the passenger seat and buckled him in. She looked at him warily and decided she didn't trust him. She made manacles with her reiki and tried to contain them so they didn't burn his skin off.

She climbed into the car and drove off towards the estate, barely keeping it together.

* * *

As Kagome neared the estate, she pulled out her phone and dialed Toga. The moment she heard his voice, she lost it.

" _Kagome, what is it? Did everything go as planned?"_

Tears sprung to her eyes, "No. It didn't. I'm here. Get out here now."

She hung up and Toga stared at his phone for a second before bolting for the front door. He watched as a car tore up through the drive way and skidded to a stop. He approached slowly and saw that Kagome's head was on the steering wheel and Inuyasha was in the passenger seat. He threw open the passenger door to find his second son, in perfect condition, sleeping like a baby and bound with magenta manacles. He sniffed the air and agony washed over him. He raced to Kagome's side and when he reached out for her she smacked his hand away. Unbuckling herself she scrambled out of the car and booked it to the gardens. Toga followed at a distance and had to back away when he saw her.

She was crouched in the fetal position sobbing into her arms. Every now and again she'd scream in agony. What really frightened him was that she was levitating nearly fifty feet off the ground in a magenta barrier and her aura was whipping around uncontrollably, destroying everything in its path. Her aura spread at least a hundred feet from her in all directions and toga could smell the grief and rage rolling off of her.

Toga started to back away, when he felt a hand grip his shoulder. He turned to find Inuyasha staring up at him with tears in his eyes. Toga wrapped his son in a giant hug and Inuyasha let the silent tears stream down his face and onto Toga's shirt. Toga pulled his head back to look at his son.

"What happened?"

Inuyasha steeled himself and his tears stopped, "Kikyo knew you were coming. She didn't know when but she knew it was soon. We stayed ready at all times and when they came in, she separated them. Kagome, stupid Kagome wandered off from Sesshomaru and Kikyo bound her. As far as I know, Kikyo was going to try to camouflage herself to look and smell exactly like Kagome to trick Sesshomaru. I don't know if it worked, but Kikyo's plan was to get close to him and rip his heart out like she did to me. Apparently she overcame him somehow, because she did it. She ripped his heart out and severed their mating bond. Kagome must have freed herself because she found me in the hallway after Sesshomaru almost killed me. She returned my heart to me and healed me and dragged my ass here."

Toga stared at Inuyasha in disbelief. His son, his oldest son had been taken from him too. He'd only just gotten Inuyasha back, and now Sesshomaru was gone. Toga swiveled his gaze to Kagome and saw flecks of green in her aura and tilted his head in curiosity. She needed a father figure right now, so that's what he'd do for her. He approached her slowly and called out to her.

"Kagome, please come down. We'll find a way to get him back. Please come down."

He watched as her barrier shuddered and then retracted slowly as she lowered herself to the ground. He waited until she'd recalled her aura and then he approached her slowly. As he neared, he noticed that she didn't move, save to look at him. He held out his arms and she nodded. Slowly, he went to her and sat on the ground beside her. She crawled into his lap and let out the most heart wrenching sobs Toga had ever heard.

Kagome sobbed into his shoulder, "He's gone. She took his heart. It broke our bond. We have to get him back."

Toga nodded and rubbed soothing circles into her back, "We'll get him back, Kagome."

Toga rested his head on hers and tried to take comfort in her scent, knowing that she was safe and sound. As her scent trickled into his nose, he stiffened and pushed his head back to look in her eyes. She sent him a quizzical glance through her tears and he almost cried with her.

"Kagome…", he trailed off and gulped, unshed tears filling his eyes.

He cleared his throat and tried again, "Kagome, you're pregnant."

* * *

 _ **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. My aim was for heartbreak and tragedy. Please review and let me know how this chapter made you feel.**_

 _ **I just started a new sessxkag story called Business Associates. If you're interested in an AU sessxkag, please give it a read!**_

 _ **-Love KJ**_


	13. Chapter 13: A Beast to Watch Over Me

**Okay folks, here's chapter 13. I hope that you're not all still angry at me for how I ended the last chapter. Keep on keeping on!**

 **As always, I hope you enjoy**

 _Disclaimer:_ **I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

Sesshomaru knew something wasn't quite right. The edges of his vision were blurry and he felt something deep in his brain stirring. His body was numb and a corner of his brain was curious as to why he was doing what he was doing. He'd been sitting in a chair in an unfamiliar house, unmoving, for at least a couple of hours. There was a woman in the room whom he didn't recognize. Something about her was familiar, but he couldn't place it. He felt odd, numb. For the past five hundred years, he seemed numb from the perspective of others, but on the inside, he'd been seething in fury and searching for something to complete him. Now, though, he was well and truly numb; feeling nothing. He didn't know why he was numb, but he didn't have the motivation to try to figure it out.

He watched as the woman paced and as her face came into view, he felt something rattle furiously in the back of his mind. His brows furrowed as he tried to discern what was going on inside his brain. The woman turned away again, and the rattling stopped. Sesshomaru watched as she continued to pace and as she turned toward him again, the rattling returned more aggressively than before. He felt his chest tighten of its own accord and felt his claws elongate. He tilted his head to the side in confusion, but noticed that when he did, the woman's eyes widened and her heart rate picked up. He let his face fall back into a bored mask and watched as relief covered the woman's face. As she turned away again, the rattling stopped and the pain in his chest receded. He narrowed his eyes at her, she'd done something to him. Some innate portion of his brain was trying to shake him from the emotional void that was consuming him.

His thoughts quieted when he noticed the woman approaching him. He let his gaze settle on her and she smiled up at him. For some reason, the sight of her smile sent ice through his veins and the rattling in his mind grew feral. He kept his face blank as she came to stand within his personal space.

"I'm going out for a while. Stay here. I'll be back in an hour."

He nodded imperceptibly and as she walked away, she pulled out a phone and dialed someone. He heard the beginnings of their conversation.

"Yes, I know it was a risk, but it seems to be working." Her voice sounded anxious and pleading and he wanted to know who she was talking to. Her heard the muffled sounds of someone speaking through the phone, but it was too quiet to make out what they were saying.

"No, I know we lost Inuyasha, but if he stays obedient, this will be a far better outcome. He's would be a huge benefit toward our plans."

She left the room then, and Sesshomaru's mind was growing sharper the further she got from him. His vision was only slightly blurred and his thoughts were beginning to make sense again.

 _Me, obedient?_ He scoffed internally. It was then that the rattling stopped and he could hear ferocious growling in his mind. He tried to remember what it was that was growling at him, but the memories wouldn't come.

Finally, he spoke out in his mind to the unknown entity.

 _Speak, identify yourself._

A howl of agony wrenched through his mind and acute, bone shattering pain rolled through him and made him flinch at its force.

 _ **It's about time! What the fuck have you done?**_

 _Me? What are you?_

Silence greeted him as his beast was thinking furiously over what had happened and how his own self didn't recognize him.

 _ **I am you. I am your beast. I am the instinctual side of you, the uncivilized side. What have you done? How was our bond severed with mate?**_

At the word mate, memories flooded back into his mind and he was inundated with images of a woman and the events leading up to where he was now. Pain wracked through his body, sending him to his knees. He was a daiyoukai of the highest order, and any pain he'd ever felt, compared to this, was like a paper cut. It tore through him, seemingly ripping half of him out and he clutched a hand to his chest as the memories kept surging in. As the pain faded, he realized that his eyes were bleeding crimson and his fangs and claws were elongated. He breathed a sigh of relief as the pain faded, but agony rode in on waves as the pain retreated.

Sesshomaru heard his beast chuckle, _**the bitch may have ripped your heart out, but she cannot remove me or my influence from your body.**_

One word was racketing through his brain on and endless loop, sending fury and agony through his veins: Kagome. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes to find himself in the fetal position on the floor. He sat up and ran their last moments through his mind. He'd attacked her. She'd thrown up a barrier to defend herself and instead of fighting him, she ran and effectively stopped him from chasing her down. He'd tried to kill her. Guilt and agony tore through him again. He could see the look of fear and heartbreak on her face as clear as day.

He looked down at his hands to see that his claws were still elongated and he tilted his head in question.

 _How have you returned me to myself?  
_ _ **It was easily done once you started to question things. Once you'd opened the door, I just took over your body. Unfortunately, I cannot keep you like this forever, you will need to get your heart back in order for us to be truly free again.**_

Sesshomaru's chest clenched in pain as he realized he'd need Kagome to return his heart to him. In the meantime, though, if he stuck around and played dumb, he might be able to learn something until Kagome came for him. If he left now, they'd learn nothing new about Naraku and all this agony would have been for nothing. He just prayed that he hadn't destroyed her faith in him.

 _When you relinquish control back to me, will you be able to take over again if we are in danger, or if I'm commanded to do something unforgivable?_

 _ **Of course. I will not allow you to hurt our mate, if that's what you're worried about. The last time, I had no control over our body because I was being torn in half as our bond was being broken.**_

Sesshomaru's body convulsed as he imagined the pain Kagome had gone through when their bond had been torn to shreds. If it was anything like he'd just experience, he would spend eternity trying to make it up to her. It was truly his fault. He'd known that it was dangerous to approach the priestess. She'd already torn one inu's heart out. He'd thought that he'd had the situation under control and he'd let his pride and fury consume him. The thought of Kagome going missing had sent him into a tail spin and his lack of control over his emotions was the reason their bond had been destroyed.

Guilt tore through him and he heard his beast growl in feral tones.

 _ **There is no use in letting the guilt torment you now. Now we must focus on learning e**_ _ **verything we can until our miko comes for us.**_

Sesshomaru's body stiffened, _if she comes for us. We did try to kill her. Maybe she will give up on us._

The thought would have broken his heart if it had been in its rightful place, but it just sent pangs of dread through his body.

He heard his beast snort, _**you are truly a fool if you believe that our miko does not love us any longer. She is unique and she'd never give up on us. Remember the last time someone threatened us?**_

A small smile lifted at the corners of his mouth, _she braved through it and went to extreme lengths to keep us safe and to get back to us._

He could feel his beasts smile in his mind before hearing footsteps heading his way. He heard his beast curse as he rose and sat in the chair before his beast faded back into the background and the blur set back in. He settled a bored look on his face and wasn't surprised to see Kikyo enter alone. The damn woman was still parading around in Kagome's skin and he heard his beast rattle his cage in anger at the sight of it.

 _So, the woman believes if she presents herself as Kagome that we will stay docile? She is_ _ **sorely**_ _mistaken._

* * *

Kagome settled herself on the ground and let her rage course through her. Guilt and agony were creeping into her heart and she tried to keep them at bay with pure determination and fury. Once she had herself under control, she'd start planning how to extract Sesshomaru from Kikyo's clutches. In the meantime, she let her aura spread around her like a toxic cloud and she let her emotions fuel her determination.

Toga had left her thirty minutes ago after his unexpected announcement that she was pregnant. She'd calmed down enough to stop crying, but she was still seething inside. She felt the pull of depression and despair on her heart as it attempted to drag her down into darkness. She was fighting it off valiantly with the help of a bit of hope she was receiving from her pup. She knew that Sesshomaru would be over the moon when he found out, and she wanted to see his face when he realized they were going to be a family. She clung to the small shred of hope with her entire being and was using it as a crutch to get her through the next few hours.

Feeling determination set in, she reached into her pocket and grabbed her phone. Dialing her best friend, she prepared for a ribbing. She hadn't caught up with Sango in weeks and she knew her friend was going to be pissed. Sango's voice rang through the phone and Kagome felt her heart crack a bit.

" _Well, look who decided to finally call me. What the hell's been going on?"_

Kagome felt a cold mask slip over her features and her tone came out ice cold, "Sango. I can't explain what's going on over the phone. Come over to the Taisho estate. I'll be in the back gardens."

Kagome could hear the worry in Sango's tone, " _Of course, I'll be there in thirty minutes."_

Kagome hung up the phone and went back to meditating, praying that her center would stitch up her shredded heart.

True to her word, Sango came sprinting into the gardens thirty minutes later. A minuscule smile lit up Kagome's face as she saw that Sango was in her slayer gear. Sango was always prepared for confrontation, and Kagome thought it was fitting for this hellish scenario.

Sango noted with utter shock, the size and ferocity of Kagome's aura. She knew that Kagome was a miko, but she hadn't seen her in a few months and apparently Kagome went through a massive spiritual growth spurt. She approached Kagome warily, coming to sit in front of her in a similar pose. She realized that Kagome's aura wasn't painful to her, as a human she found it oddly soothing, though she could feel the pain and agony that Kagome was in through it.

"Tell me what happened. From the beginning."

Kagome nodded and launched into the story from the moment that Inuyasha attacked her. Sango didn't like Kagome's tone. Her voice sounded dead and broken and her eyes were flat and emotionless. Her face looked bored and Sango realized that this look is what Sesshomaru was known for. Her eyes widened in shock as Kagome explained that they had fallen in love and mated. She didn't think the demon was even remotely capable of falling in love, but she saw as Kagome's eyes took on a wistful nature and that unshed tears were pooling in her eyes as she spoke of how she loved him. One thing was clear to Sango, Kagome was in love with the dai.

Kagome's voice broke a bit as she tried to explain what had happened the day before.

"We went to get Inuyasha back and the front door was unlocked. I knew then that something was wrong but we went in anyway because we'd already gone so far. We went into the house and like an idiot I wandered off when I saw something unusual. There was a nook with a shelf and it was off center, like something was behind it. We had been planning to check out the dead space and I thought it might lead there so I went to check it out but before I got there someone hit me over the head and I blacked out. When I woke up, Kikyo was yanking on my hair and ranting about something. She took one of my hairs and added it to an enchantment and then she looked nearly identical to me, without the mating mark. She hid me from view so that Sesshomaru couldn't sense, see, hear, or smell me and then he came into the room. Luckily, he didn't fall for it for a second, he could sense through our mark that she wasn't me. He grabbed her by the throat and tried to get her to tell him where I was but before he'd gotten the chance, she…", Kagome broke off as her words stuck in her throat. Tears were threatening to spill again but Kagome pushed them down brutally.

"She ripped his heart out in front of me, just like with Inuyasha. She used some sort of paralytic powder to subdue him and when she took his heart out it severed our mating bond. It was the _most excruciating_ pain I've ever felt in my entire life. It was as if she'd forcefully ripped my body in half. When the pain went away, I lost it. I fought against the manacles she had on me and when I was free, she ordered Sesshomaru to attack me and he did. I threw up a barrier and it burned him. I ran from the room and found Inuyasha. I returned his heart to him and got the hell out of there. After we got back here, I sort of blacked out for a while. Then Toga came to calm me and told me that…", her voice wavered and Sango saw a lone tear fall from her eye.

"I'm pregnant."

Sango gasped and threw her arms around Kagome. Kagome hugged her and let some of her tears fall silently.

"Congratulations on the pup. Now let's go save it's daddy."

Kagome smiled up at Sango softly, "Why don't you go inside and introduce yourself to everyone. Try not to strangle Inuyasha. He didn't attack me by choice."

Sango scowled at her and made a mental note to sock Inuyasha in the jaw. She rose and padded toward the house while Kagome settled back into her seated position. She let her aura flow out of her and she sent it toward the house in a gentle wave. She searched the house for the one person that she knew understood her pain. When she locked onto her aura, she let her own surround her gently. She felt as the other's aura brushed up against hers in response. She let her aura retract back to her and in moments, Inukimi was standing before her.

Inukimi sat across from Kagome in the crater that she'd made. Inukimi was impressed at the amount of destruction the little miko had wrought. The entire garden was singed from her raw fury and if Inukimi wasn't so distraught over losing her son, she would have laughed.

Kagome kept her gaze pinned to the ground, "I know an apology won't suffice, but I'm truly sorry I've caused this."

Kagome heard Inukimi snort and she raised her gaze to find her staring down at her with agitation and amusement in her gaze.

"Do not let false guilt cloud your mind, Kagome. Sesshomaru knew what he was doing. He chose you to be his mate. Do you know what that means to Inu demons? It means _everything._ We protect and care for our mates at any and all costs. He loves you and he chose you which means he was prepared to give his life for you at any moment. He made that decision on his own. This is not your fault. That idiot got too close to the wretched priestess bitch. He knew she was capable of ripping demons hearts out, and yet he allowed himself to get within her proximity. The blame, though, lies at that woman's feet. She did this to my son. Not you."

Kagome felt her guilt start to fade slightly, and she felt an overwhelming amount of affection for her Inukimi surge through her.

"Now that you're quite finished with your pity party, we should get planning, should we not?"

Kagome nodded and rose, "I've got an idea, actually."

The two women made their way toward the library while Kagome elaborated on her plan.

"Once Inuyasha and Toga narrow down the possible places where he might be, you, Sango, and I will go in and get him. I'm going to find a way to get close to him and bring his heart back. Thankfully we have some of the powder left over from Inuyasha's reversal. Otherwise we'd have to grind more and that could take some time. The three of us will have to strategize when we find out where he is. My instinct is to go in hard and kill anyone in our path, since last time going in silently came back to bite us in the ass."

Kagome flitted her gaze over to Inukimi and saw she had a malicious smile on her face, "I agree. I'd thoroughly enjoy beheading the ones that did this to my son."

Kagome let an answering grin light up her face. They made it to the library and Kagome felt as Inukimi's aura rose to dominate hers. She flared her own and the two walked into the library with aura's blazing.

Toga and Inuyasha's eyes were wide as saucers while Sango looked pleased and had a grin on her face. Toga double blinked at the pair before growling at them.

"Can't you two reign it in? You're suffocating us."

Both women dropped their aura's simultaneously and a sigh of relief escaped the two males. Kagome nearly smiled as she saw Izayoi sitting close to Inuyasha. She was putting small braids in his hair and it was clear to Kagome that Izayoi was just looking for an excuse to be near her son.

Kagome looked to Inuyasha with a hard glint in her eyes and noticed that his face was guilt ridden as he gazed at her. She knew he had many things to discuss with her, but for now she couldn't handle it. Once she had Sesshomaru back she could listen to his apologies, but if she heard them now, she'd probably break. Focusing on her task, she straightened her spine and turned to Toga.

"What have you found?" Her voice was steel, but she knew that they could all smell her true emotions.

"Well, we've weeded out a lot of Naraku's properties and we are focusing in on three of them. Inuyasha thinks that these are the most viable options for their relocation. He doesn't believe they'll keep Sesshomaru in the same house where you found Inuyasha. I agree, it would be foolish to leave him there now that you know the layout, they will probably move him tonight, if they haven't already. Once we scout the other properties and figure out which one he's at, you will have to make a plan and then we can go in."

Inukimi spoke up from beside Kagome, "Kagome, the slayer, and I are going. We're going to take a different approach this time around. I will do the planning."

Toga narrowed his eyes before nodding at her. He knew she was taking this very personally and that she would do anything to get their son back.

"In the meantime, I think you should go to bed, Kagome."

She'd started shaking her head before he'd even finished his sentence.

"Not going to happen. I'm going to train. Sango, do you want to come with me?"

The slayers eyes widened before she trotted after Kagome with her massive boomerang slung over her shoulder. The two left the library and Toga immediately sighed and collapsed into a chair. Izayoi and Inukimi looked at him with affection in their eyes.

"How could we let this happen? Both of my sons have been used against her and she's carrying on with strength that rivals my own. And now she's _pregnant._ I should not be allowing her to go at all."

Inukimi snorted and Toga raised his narrowed eyes to her, "Do you think you could stop her?"

Her voice held amusement and pride. Toga mulled it over before a faint grin curved his mouth.

"You're right. She'd just go off on her own and raise hell without back up."

Mirroring smiles lifted at the parents' lips. Toga turned to Inuyasha to find him frowning at the ground. Toga could smell the guilt that was permeating Inuyasha's entire being. He frowned at his son and set a hand on his shoulder.

Inuyasha raised his gaze to his father, "I've hurt her so much, how can I even begin to apologize to her, or to Sesshomaru for that matter? I'm sure he'll want to behead me for the things I've done to her."

Toga smiled softly at his son, "Kagome has a big heart. She will probably forgive you, considering you weren't yourself when you hurt her. And don't worry about Sesshomaru, Kagome will make sure he leaves you alone. I'd give him a lot of room, though, for a _while._ If you antagonize him, I'm positive he'll come after you."

Inuyasha looked unsure but he nodded at his father anyway and they continued going over everything that Inuyasha learned in his five hundred years of servitude.

…

Kagome and Sango spent hours in the training room until both felt their arms were going to fall off. Sango was an excellent fighter, far better than Kagome, but Kagome was using her rage to fuel her movements and was learning the slayers fighting style. Once Sango had started to tire, Kagome started scoring hits left and right. She had a substantial reserve of stamina after training with Sesshomaru for hours at a time.

Kagome had finally gotten in front of Sango and had knocked the slayer off her feet. Sango fell to the ground with a thud and then her laughter rang through the training room.

"I yield. Damn, Kagome. You must have been training every day since the last time I saw you."

Kagome nodded sheepishly, "Every day for the last two months and two weeks, a minimum of eight hours a day. It's exceedingly difficult to score hits on Sesshomaru. "

Sango smiled sadly before rising to her feet and throwing her arm around her friend.

"Come on, I'm bunking with you tonight."

Kagome looked up to her friend with unshed tears in her eyes, "Thank you. I know I haven't been a good friend these past couple months. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sango waved her apology away with a chuckle, "Don't worry about that. Let's just kick some ass and get your daiyoukai back. Then we can go over how much groveling you'll owe me."

Kagome chuckled halfheartedly before the two headed off to shower and fall into bed.

* * *

The next morning, Kagome and Sango went to the training room to do a bit of light sparring. After they'd finished, Kagome had wandered to the weapons wall and let her eyes travel over all the options. A glint of light caught her attention and she walked towards it, noticing that there was a weapon hung on the far side of the wall, nearly hidden in the corner. As she neared it, she gasped as she realized that it was a bow made from a sacred tree branch. The bow nearly hummed when Kagome drew close. She tilted her head at it and wondered _why_ a house full of demons would have a bow made from a sacred tree. As she picked it up, she saw there was a note tied to the bowstring. She untied it and opened it.

 _Kagome,_

 _I knew you'd be here eventually,_

 _and I had this bow made from the tree that you freed Inuyasha from._

 _This is a token of my gratitude for freeing not one, but two of my sons._

 _I will be forever in your debt._

 _-Lord Toga._

Tears sprung to her eyes and she hooked the bow to the back of her belt. She took off at a run and ignored Sango's yell of surprise. She let her reiki flow through the house until she located Toga, he was in the library. She ran full speed and burst into the room. She found him by the table and ran toward him before throwing herself at him. He caught her midair with a chuckle.

"You mangy dog! When were you going to tell me about this bow? Thank you so much! It's so beautiful!"

He laughed at her and set her on her feet. Sango came in shortly after, immediately seeing the beautiful bow. She could feel the holy energy radiating off the thing and she knew immediately why Kagome had taken off like that.

Kagome hugged Toga once more before turning to see her mother, Inukimi, Izayoi and Inuyasha all staring at her like she had a second head.

Sheepishly, she unhooked the bow from her belt and showed it to her curious family. Gasps and a squeal from her mother resounded through the library. Her mom nearly snatched it out of her hands in her excitement.

"Oh, Kagome this is beautiful! It will be able to handle your full power and possibly even magnify it!"

Toga blanched a bit, "Magnify it? Good lord, if I'd know that, I wouldn't have had it made."

Kagome raised a brow at him and he chuckled at her, "I had it made a few days after you'd left the feudal era through the well. It's about five hundred years old and it's never been used."

She practically beamed at him before her smile faltered and her eyes started to brim with tears. Toga watched her struggle to contain her sadness. She swallowed heavily and steeled her spine. Turning back toward him, she glanced at his computer.

"Anything new?"

He nodded, "We've narrowed it down to two places. One is a warehouse down by the harbor. The other is a mansion deep in the northern forest. The northern forest lies just outside of my jurisdiction, thus, I cannot go with you, even if you'd allow me to."

She nodded and then studied the map that he had laid out. The two properties were plotted and she stared at the map, hoping something would come to her.

"Did you say the first was a ware house? What's its condition?"

Toga dug through some files before answering, "It's near the docks, it would provide a quick getaway but it's a dump. Just an old warehouse, used for storing wares to be sold in stores or markets. Generally, they hold the incoming and outgoing wares from the ships."

Kagome let this all fill her mind and she analyzed it next to what she knew about Kikyo. She walked herself back through Kikyo's house in her head and recalled all of the expensive furnishing and art.

"It's the mansion. Kikyo wouldn't be caught dead at the warehouse. You should have seen that mansion. She wouldn't last a second in a grimy place like that. Plus, she probably won't separate herself from him. She's probably terrified that her spell wouldn't work on Sesshomaru. She'll keep him close so that she has better control over him."

Toga nodded while taking it all in. With a crash, Inuyasha stood knocking over his chair.

"Oh my god, she's right. Kikyo would never go to the docks, even when Naraku practically demanded it. She probably sees Sesshomaru as her personal body guard now. She won't leave him alone for more than an hour or two at a time."

They all watched Kagome and did not miss the sudden glowing of her eyes and the way her aura flared in fury. She settled down her aura quickly, noticing the uncomfortable looks on the demon's faces.

"Get me everything you have on that mansion. I don't care if Lucifer himself lives there, we are going to get Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha muttered under his breath, "With Sesshomaru there, Lucifer does live there."

Kagome whirled and stalked up to him, "What did you just say?"

Inuyasha blanched and saw that his father was glaring at him and Inukimi looked ready to tear his throat out.

"Nothing, I was just being a smart ass."

Kagome scowled at him, "Of course you were."

With that she stalked out of the room leaving Inuyasha bent over in fear and guilt while Toga was growling angrily at his youngest pup.

...

Kagome spent the next three hours doing target practice in the training room while Sango sharpened their weapons. Kagome was relieved to find that, after her first twenty arrows; her aim was improving. By the time she was finished, she'd been hitting the bullseye nearly every other shot. She knew if Sesshomaru was there he would have told her that she was getting better, but that she still had a long way to go. Her heart clenched in agony at the thought. She missed him terribly.

As she was collecting her arrows, she felt Toga's aura sweep through the mansion and surround her. She snapped her head up to Sango and the slayer nodded at her. Collecting their weapons, she gave Kagome her sword and Sai's and threw her boomerang over her shoulder before they sprinted to the library.

As they burst through the door, she found Toga standing at his computer waving them over.

"What did you find?"

"You were right. I tracked the credit card that she'd been using while with Inuyasha and she used it at a gas station that lies on the edge of the Northern Forest. I pulled the floor plans and tried to get my hands on some satellite pictures of the grounds. I got some, but they're a year old and I can't be positive if there were any changes since then."

Kagome nodded and looked over the blue prints before waving Sango and Inukimi over. Inukimi studied the blue prints with her shrewd gaze and saw that there were many access points to the house.

She turned to Inuyasha, "What room would Kikyo take? The largest room in the house, or the safest?"

Inuyasha thought it over, "If there's no one in it besides her, she will take the largest one. Especially now that she has Sesshomaru. She won't be worried about safety if he's there, she'll believe that he'll protect her at all costs."

Inukimi nodded and ignored the angry flare of Kagome's aura, "This", she said as she pointed to the floor plan, "is the largest room in the house. If we assume that she'll be there and that Sesshomaru will be close, then we can slip in through these access points. I know last time you didn't split up, but we are going to this time. I will take no arguments over this, it will be the best way to dispatch of any guards. Sango and I will hold off any remaining guards once we find my son. Kagome, you'll have to subdue Kikyo, over power Sesshomaru and return his heart to him. Can you do that unaided?"

There was a fierce glint in Kagome's eyes as she nodded, "I have a few ideas."

Her tone sent shivers down Inuyasha's spine and Toga's gaze flitted to her abdomen with worry. Inukimi's face held a proud and feral smile.

"While we are on the grounds, we will have to dispatch of the guards quietly, but once we are inside, I'd like to draw any remaining guards to us on purpose. Sango and I can draw them away from you so that you can do what needs to be done. Make sure that you do not get distracted this time."

Kagome nodded and her guilt tried to overwhelm her. She shrugged it off as Inukimi squeezed her shoulder.

"Once you've returned his heart, we can either kill the rest of the guards, or save some for questioning. If we get the chance, I'd like to determine Naraku's whereabouts, but recovering Sesshomaru is our top priority."

Everyone nodded and she turned to Kagome, "Take this, meditate and memorize it. Sango, memorize it as well and gather all the supplies you need."

Kagome took the blue prints and turned on her heel to go to the gardens and meditate where she wasn't a danger to anyone if she lost control over her aura.

The rest of the day was spent in a flurry of activity. Inukimi was planning with Sango while Kagome meditated over the blue prints and Toga was readying his spies to scout the area. Inuyasha helped Inukimi and Sango with their plans, seeing as how he knew how Kikyo liked to structure her guards. Izayoi stayed nearly attached to Inuyasha and after a bit, Ayumi felt out of place. She turned to the window to see Kagome sitting in a ball of magenta light and her heart hurt for her daughter. She walked through the house and out to the gardens. Kagome was sitting in a crater of her own making and the plants and ground within one hundred feet had been singed and scorched the night before.

She sat down in front of Kagome and meditated alongside her, trying to funnel a peaceful aura through herself and to her daughter. After two hours of meditation, Ayumi felt as Kagome came out of her center and she opened her eyes. Kagome was staring at her mother with silent tears trailing down her face. She leaned forward and captured one of her daughters' hands in her own.

"You'll get him back. I know you will."

Kagome nodded and her tears began to fall heavily, "I can't help but feel this is my fault. If I hadn't wandered off, this might not have happened."

Ayumi scowled at her daughter, "Sesshomaru is an Inu Daiyoukai, a prince. They are the most loyal of all demon kind. They choose one mate and almost never stray outside of the union. Sesshomaru _chose you._ When he did, he was promising to do anything and everything to protect you, even give his own life. I'm sure if he could tell you himself, he would just be glad she hadn't gotten you. He's probably angry at himself that he's causing you pain right now. Try not to let the guilt get to you, it will only distract you."

A broken smile covered Kagome's face, "His mom said almost the exact same thing."

Ayumi smiled at Kagome, "He loves you and you will find a way to get him back. Do not doubt yourself."

Kagome nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. A pulse of yoki rolled through the gardens and Kagome recognized it as Inukimi's. She tilted her head to the side.

"It must be time to go over the concrete plan."

Ayumi nodded and the two rose and walked hand in hand into the house.

* * *

Worry was starting to trickle into Sesshomaru's mind. He'd been moved here two days ago and he wondered if Kagome would be able to find him. He hadn't felt her reiki brush against him and could tell that she wasn't nearby. He considered what he would do if she _didn't_ come for him. He'd have to find out where the priestess bitch was keeping his heart and he'd have to take it back himself.

He surveyed the room as inconspicuously as possible. The night before last, she'd driven him nearly an hour north, and Sesshomaru's beast had recognized the area as the Northern Forest. This concerned him a bit, being in the north meant he was crossing into someone else's territory, and not only that, but Kagome would have to cross into the north's territory as well, to save him. He let his gaze travel to the window and noticed that there were sentinels roving the grounds. He hoped that Kagome wouldn't come alone, but he almost scoffed as he realized his father would never allow her to do that.

He made his gaze bored as the woman approached him with a smile on her face. He nearly scowled at her, his hatred was nearly boiling over. She was still pretending to be Kagome and he wanted to behead her. His beast growled ferociously at the sight of her fake smile.

"I'm going to get some food. Stay here."

He nodded slightly and waited for her to leave. Before she reached the door, Sesshomaru felt a familiar aura brush up against him. He nearly smiled as he saw Kikyo turn toward him with horror in her eyes. She approached him again, "Did you feel that?"

He cocked his head to the side, "Feel what?"

Just as he'd responded, the aura pressed against them again but stronger this time. Kikyo went pale and her eyes flitted around the room.

"That. Did you feel that?"

Sesshomaru fought down his vicious smile and nodded at her. Yes. Kagome was here, and now the priestess bitch would die.

* * *

 **Hey guys. I hope this chapter finds you well!**

 **Feel free to leave a review, I know a lot of you were pretty mad after the last chapter.**

 **As always, I hope you enjoyed.**

 **-Love KJ**


	14. Chapter 14: Reunited

Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long, I just really wanted to get this chapter right! I hope, as always, you all enjoy it.

 _ **WARNING: This chapter as adult content, A.K.A. sexual content and violence.**_

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ **I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

That morning, reality came knocking on Kagome's door. She woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare. The nightmare was the moment Sesshomaru's heart was taken out, on a loop. She'd finally been able to wake from the dream, only to find that she was nauseous and her head was pounding. She settled her hand on her abdomen and the nausea eased away slowly. She smiled softly at her flat tummy.

"It's okay. We'll get him back. We will", her voice broke and tears filled her eyes.

She moved her hand and the nausea welled back up. Before she could get out of bed, there was a knock at the door. She pulsed her reiki and Inukimi came in with a cup of tea clutched in her hands. She handed it to Kagome and then gestured to her abdomen.

"I could smell your nausea from my room."

Kagome nodded and sipped at the tea, "What's up with that, anyway? Are all demon children so hard on your body?"

Inukimi's face contorted slightly, "No. It's because you're mating bond was broken. Until you get your mate back, this pregnancy is going to take an extreme toll on you."

Kagome nodded and saw that Inukimi looked like she wanted to say something more, like she knew something else. Kagome caressed her with her aura and felt as guilt spread through Inukimi's aura. Kagome tilted her head to the side.

"Tell me. Tell me what you know."

Inukimi nodded at her, looking sad, "There is a chance that if we don't get him back that either the pup could kill you, or it could die. The pup feeds off of your reiki and off of the father's yoki in your body. It grows because of your combined strength. We must get him back. If we don't, I fear what could happen. I'm surprised the pup survived through the bond being broken."

Kagome stared at her and rested her hand over her abdomen. The nausea eased away again and Kagome tilted her head in wonder. She sipped at the tea and felt its effect almost immediately. Her headache started to fade and the nausea melted away. She sighed, feeling her muscles relax.

"What was in that?"

"Mostly just herbs for pregnancy. I put a drop of my yoki in it to soothe the pup."

Kagome nodded, realizing just how much she needed the tiny bit of yoki just to make her pain abate. The reality of the situation dawned on her. Without Sesshomaru, one of them was going to die. She sighed in agitation. Things were just getting more complicated by the minute. She would not allow something to happen to her pup, and she had to get Sesshomaru back. She didn't think she could handle the day by day without him.

She downed the rest of her tea and rose from bed. She walked into the closet to see that Sesshomaru had a few of his old Kimono's hanging there. She fingered the material before slipping it on over a pair of leggings. She sighed in contentment as his scent surrounded her. Walking back out, she found Inukimi still sitting by the bed. Kagome motioned for them to leave, and they looped arms as they walked to the library.

…

The preparations for the day were relatively simple for Kagome. She only had to get into her armor and try to hold down some food. Inukimi had seen how much trouble she was having with trying to eat and had brought her another cup of tea with more of her yoki in it. Kagome took it happily, anything to calm her stomach. When they were getting ready to leave, Kagome made her way to the armory wall in the training room. She found her bow there and she sat in the middle of the room to mediate before they left.

She tilted her head to the side and placed her hand on her abdomen.

"Listen. I know you want your dad back. I want him back too. If you can understand me, I would like you to try and keep the nausea away just for the next couple of hours. I need to focus so we can get your daddy back. Okay little one?"

She felt slightly insane talking to her unborn pup that was merely days old, but it was keeping the loneliness from creeping in on her. She turned as someone cleared their throat at the doorway. It was Toga. Kagome sent him a small sheepish smile.

"The pup can probably hear you, you know. Inu children are very sensitive listeners. I don't know if it can understand you, but it should be able to hear you."

Kagome nodded and tears threatened her eyes again. She stood and approached him. He settled his hand on her shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

"Take care of yourself, and my grand pup. And bring my son home to me."

Kagome nodded and pulled him into a hug. Releasing him before she could start tearing up again, she jogged to the front door to find Sango and Inukimi waiting on her. They were standing in front of a gorgeous black hummer and Kagome groaned at the beautiful SUV.

"That is some car."

Inukimi shrugged, "I like to be tactical sometimes. It's bullet proof. Nasty human invention, guns."

She said it with a sneer on her face and Kagome wanted to chuckle, but her nerves and anxiety shoved it down. Kagome surveyed her and was not disappointed to see her rocking similar armor that was deep purple and she had two swords sheathed at her hips. Her usual long pigtails were now in tight buns atop her head. She noticed that Sango was also geared up in her slayer uniform and had her sword at her hip along with her boomerang on her back.

Kagome raised a brow, "Shall we then? I have a mate to rescue."

Inukimi grinned wolfishly and Kagome let a small smile cover her face. They got into the car and drove off toward the Northern mansion.

…

Nearly an hour and a half later, they pulled closer to the mansion. They'd run over the plan countless times and Kagome was ready to go. She was filled to the brim with fury and determination and she was ready.

Without warning, Inukimi took a hard left onto a tiny dirt road. Kagome nearly slammed her head on the window and she sent a glare at Sesshomaru's mother. Inukimi chuckled and continued navigating through the dense forest. Her eyesight was far better than Kagome's and she had no doubt that Inukimi would get them there safely. After ten minutes of driving over rough roads, Inukimi pulled off the path a bit and threw the car into park. She held up a finger to her mouth, indicating silence, and turned off the car. She got out silently and Kagome and Sango followed her on light feet. Kagome sent a light, untraceable wave of her reiki through the forest and she felt a small wave ripple back at her. She smirked as she realized there was a sentinel in the forest.

Kagome took in her surroundings. There were massive trees standing at least eighty feet tall and the entire forest smelled of pine and earth. The sun, having nearly set, didn't filter through the thick boughs of the coniferous pillars; swathing the forest floor in shadows. Rocks and boulders were littered throughout the trees and Kagome noticed that there weren't any bird or animal sounds. She tilted her head and tried to listen more keenly, before remembering that her hearing was back to that of a human. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and sent another pulse of her reiki through the forest to pinpoint the guard again.

Kagome took off running toward the sentinel and heard Inukimi huff behind her. She ran until she could see the sentinel with his back to her. As she was about to strike, a green flash of light entered her vision and she leapt back a step. She tilted her head as she realized that Inukimi had beat her to the punch and had beheaded the demon with her poison whip. Kagome sent Inukimi a glare and Inukimi smiled brilliantly at her. Inukimi turned and sniffed the wind. Her eyes narrowed and she turned to her left with a small growl. She pointed to the east and Kagome let her reiki flow softly in near invisible waves in that direction. She felt four more sentinels in the forest before an open area, which Kagome assumed was the grounds.

Kagome motioned for the two to come to her side and whispered almost silently, "Four in the forest, there are more in the clearing beyond, but I will have to get closer to figure out how many are on the grounds and in the house. We might just have to draw them out with a big display."

The demoness and slayer nodded. Kagome rose and pulled her rapier from its sheath. She jogged silently through the trees and underbrush before indicating that they should split apart and each take a guard. The two split off immediately and Kagome crept toward the source of yoki ahead of her. As she neared, she pulsed her reiki again and realized that it was a relatively low level demon.

She sprinted forward and found the guard facing away from her. Silently, she leapt forward and slashed vertically with her sword, effectively removing the demons head. Kagome watched with fascination as the body began to melt and turn into a puddle. She tilted her head at the sword and smiled softly when she realized that Sesshomaru's fang had poisonous properties. He was with her, even now.

Raising her head, she let her reiki search the area again and she felt her two companions converging on the tree line. Kagome noticed that the fourth demon was till stationed somewhere ahead of her, and it was relatively close. Kagome sheathed her sword and pulled out her bow, knocked an arrow and crept forward silently; toward the tree line. As she neared the demon, she spotted it staring in Sango's general direction with its profile to her. _Perfect,_ she thought, _if I can get him in the throat and take out his ability to speak, and purify him in one shot, he won't be my problem anymore._

She settled in place, pulled the arrow back and aimed with precision. She released and watched in triumph as the arrow pierced the demon in the throat, blocking its ability to scream. She was mildly alarmed as the demon began to glow magenta and then imploded into ash. She stalked forward to find a small pile of ash where the demon had been before. She grinned and crept toward the edge of the forest line.

Her and her mother had been working on her ability to purify demons with one shot of an arrow or placing her hands on a demon and pushing her reiki into them. Her mother had told her it would be a simple matter with the bow, as it amplified her innate power. Her mother had told her that if she focused when attempting to do it with her hands, that it wouldn't be too difficult. She was itching to try the technique.

As she came to the edge of the clearing, she saw a huge mansion and at least a dozen guards roaming the grounds. She pulsed her reiki outward and searched the grounds and the house for signs of life. She almost cursed as she realized there were fifteen guards on the grounds and at least ten more in the house. There were twelve people total in the house, and Kagome knew that two of them had to be Sesshomaru and Kikyo. Her eyes narrowed in fury and she motioned for the other two to join her. They were at her side in almost an instant.

"Fifteen outside. Twelve inside, including Sesshomaru and Kikyo."

She flitted her gaze to Inukimi and saw she was making lightning fast calculations and decisions.

"How many arrows do you have?"

"Twenty-three left."

"Take out as many of you can silently. Once they catch on, go into the clearing and release your aura fully. We'll pick them off from the sides and once their numbers are down, you can go into the house. Hopefully we can draw the guards in the house, out here."

Kagome nodded and knocked another arrow. She aimed at the nearest guard and released. She heard him grunt and watched as he fell to the ground, surrounded by magenta light. She spotted a few more and took them out as well. After six of them were down and turned to ash, she saw as one picked up a radio and tried to take accountability.

"Shit, they're going to know."

Inukimi pushed at her shoulder and Kagome stumbled into the clearing. She flitted her gaze around and realized they hadn't seen her yet. She walked toward the house slowly and when she was halfway between the house and the trees, she let her aura go free.

Massive waves of reiki rolled through the grounds and into the house and Kagome felt as Sesshomaru's aura pushed up against her. She grinned and released her aura in another wave and watched as the remaining guards from the grounds bee lined for her. Happiness and hope roared through her body as she felt Sesshomaru's aura brush up against hers again. She wanted to sprint straight to him and get him back. First, though, she'd have to take out as many of the guards as possible, _and Kikyo,_ she thought with venom. She saw a few stragglers get picked off by Sango and Inukimi, but four of them had surrounded her.

She grinned at them wolfishly, "You're making me late for my date."

She pulled out her sais and tossed them lighting fast, burying both in the throats of unsuspecting demons. She watched as they clutched at their throats and she heard the gurgling of their flesh being melted by poison. She unsheathed her sword and turned toward the remaining two. She pulsed her aura at them and they both froze in fear and she grinned before launching at the one to her right. He leapt left and Kagome followed quickly. She saw as his eyes moved to the spot to the right of her and she jumped back and to the left as he jumped forward. She watched him land and drove her sword through his chest. It buried itself to the hilt and she watched as the flesh around the wound began to bubble and turn putrid.

She twisted the sword, eliciting a hiss from the dying demon, and wrenched it from his body before turning to study the single remaining demon. Kagome sheathed her sword and stepped toward him slowly. She watched as he took a step away from her. She smiled sweetly at him.

"I've been wanting to test a theory."

Before he could blink, she lunged for him and settled her hand on his chest and thrusted her reiki into his body, purifying him on contact. His body imploded in a cloud of ash and magenta reiki. Kagome smiled slightly before bending to retrieve her sais. She frowned as she saw they were covered in demon ichor. She wiped them in the grass before sheathing them. She looked up to see Inukimi looking at her with wide eyes.

"I didn't know you could purify on contact like that."

She shrugged, "I've been working on it with my mom."

Inukimi nodded, obviously impressed, and smiled before turning toward the house. Kagome let her aura sweep over the house and cocked her head to the side.

"The rest of the guards have gathered in a room. The hallway beyond them is the only way to get to Sesshomaru. Kikyo is with him", she growled out the last part.

Inukimi gestured to the other sides of the house, "Take the other entrances and we'll converge on them from all sides. Kagome take the main hallway and draw them out with your reiki. Once they're distracted, slip through the hallway and go get my boy."

Kagome nodded and they separated to find their entrances. Kagome went to the nearest door and opened it. She flitted inside stealthily and saw that the hallway was empty. Sending her reiki out in a light wave, she noticed that they still hadn't moved. She stalked through the halls and noticed this house was furnished almost identically to the last one. She scowled and made her way to the staircase. She peered around the banister and saw that the stairwell was empty. She let her reiki search again and was relieved to find they hadn't moved. She ascended the stairs quickly and silently and faced the door that the demons were behind. She sighed as she walked toward the door, yanked it open and flared her aura.

She threw up a barrier, luckily, because two of the guards had fired arrows at her and they bounced off her shield. She saw one raise a gun at her and her mind went blank. She did _not know_ if her armor or her barrier were bullet proof. She dodged to the side before hearing a loud bang. Her ears rang and she hissed in pain as something tore through her left shoulder. She rolled to her feet and shot an arrow at the demon brandishing the gun. Her shoulder burned in agonizing pain and she barely managed to fire the arrow. It buried itself in his chest and he gasped and fell to the ground before his body disintegrated. She was about to knock another arrow when Sango and Inukimi burst into the room. Kagome sighed with relief as the demons turned toward them and began launching attacks in their direction.

Gritting her teeth, she dropped to her knees with a groan and she felt tears stinging her eyes. She set her hand against the bullet wound and realized the bullet was still inside her shoulder. She groaned as she realized that meant she couldn't heal it fully yet. She set her hand against the wound again and pulsed her reiki in. It took some of the pain away, allowing her to use her bow and sword.

Trying to focus, she pulsed her reiki outward again and narrowed in on Sesshomaru's presence. She sprinted toward the door and tried to open it. It didn't budge and she realized it was locked. She growled in frustration and backed up a few steps before leveling a hard kick on the door. It cracked and she repeated the action three more times. Finally, with a loud crack, the door swung inward and Kagome raced down the hallway toward Sesshomaru's aura. She felt his aura flicker anxiously and she ran faster. She skidded to a stop in front of the door and reached for the handle. She snatched her hand back as the handle burned her palm and she yelped in pain. Pulling her hand back she narrowed her eyes at the door.

She levelled another kick at the door but it didn't budge.

"Fine, bitch, you want to play, let's play."

Kagome settled her arms at her sides and released her aura completely. It swelled against the door and Kagome pushed its full force against whatever barricade Kikyo had set up. After a few seconds, the door started to crack and Kagome wrapped some of her reiki around her foot and kicked the door. It imploded into the room and the door splintered and cracked under the force of her reiki and her kick. Kagome wrapped her aura around her body like armor and entered the room.

An arrow flew toward her head and she raised a barrier, catching the arrow mid air, inches from her face. She snarled, reached her hand up and grabbed the arrow before snapping it in half. Kikyo stared at her with wide eyes before skittering behind something. Kagome let her eyes stray from her target to see what she was standing behind.

Kagome's eyes widened and tears flooded her vision as she drank in the sight of him. He looked exactly the same as the last time she'd seen him, except his face. It was blank. Not the way it usually was, his usual look was an obvious mask, a scowl. This look made fury roll through her. His face was blank like he didn't have a single thought rolling through his head. As if someone had removed his ability to think.

She looked closer and watched as his eyes started to turn crimson. Her eyes widened as she felt his aura creep up to her and caress her. She tilted her head and started to approach him when sounds started filtering into her senses again. Kikyo was shouting and Sesshomaru was growling.

"-I said get her you idiot! Kill her _now!"_

Sesshomaru continued to growl and Kagome saw his claws and fangs elongate and watched his nose twitch. His eyes raised to hers and she could see the agony he was in. He was using all of his strength to disobey her orders. She watched as his eyes widened and dropped to her abdomen, then flitted back up to her gaze. She nodded at him and he fell to his knees. His body shook with the effort it was taking him to actively disobey.

Sesshomaru had thoughts ricocheting through his head at a million miles a minute. Every command Kikyo issued, his body lurched to obey. His beast had shackles around his brain, attempting to maintain control over his body, hold himself still. Actively disobeying her commands was causing agonizing pain to shoot through his body. He'd tried to move against the woman's commands and kill her, but as the beast had attempted to move, the control over his muscles, keeping him from attacking Kagome, slipped. He stopped attempting to move, and went back to holding complete control over his body, holding completely still. He managed to get out a feral growl without losing control of his body. He could feel his tamer self struggling in the sea of muddied water, getting commands from multiple directions and not being able to decipher which one he should listen to. As he was gaining complete control over his body bit by bit, a smell filtered into his senses and it took all of his control not to howl.

The beast looked to Kagome's abdomen, then to her face. He watched as she nodded, confirming his suspicions.

 ** _Mate is pupped!_**

He felt his entire body shudder and Sesshomaru and his beast fell to their knees as one, finally gaining enough control over their body to take themselves out of the equation.

Kikyo was still shrieking at him and Kagome had listened to _quite enough_ of her piercing voice.

"Hey! Shut your mouth. Your fight is with me, not him. You took what is mine and now you're going to suffer the consequences." Kagome's voice came out as a soft, feral growl and Sesshomaru felt pride in hearing her that way.

Kikyo flitted around Sesshomaru and Kagome saw her puff her chest and her gaze grew indignant.

"You _dare_ suggest that you are stronger than me?"

Kagome grinned wolfishly, "You messed with the wrong miko."

Kikyo flushed with rage and knocked another arrow. She released it and it flew through the air toward Kagome's head. Kagome heard Sesshomaru's snarl before she grabbed the arrow out of the air with her bare hand and tossed it to the floor.

"Is that the best you can do?"

Kikyo's eyes were widened and she took a half step backward before Kagome started advancing on her slowly. As Kagome drew near, Kikyo darted to the side and pulled a dagger out of her sleeve. She slashed at Kagome's side and she hissed as the dagger sliced into her flesh. Blood began to bleed through the cloth and Kagome could feel it running hotly down her side. Kagome grabbed the arm holding the knife and twisted it behind Kikyo's back before thrusting her forehead down into Kikyo's face. Kikyo howled in pain as the impact from Kagome's head butt shattered her nose. Kikyo grabbed a fist full of Kagome's hair and tried to wiggle her way out of Kagome's grasp. Unsuccessful, Kikyo reached around and dug her fingers into Kagome's fresh stab wound and Kagome released her with a hiss. Pain shot through her side and shoulder and her vision swam momentarily. Kagome's shoulder was in agony again, but she tried to ignore it and her fresh wound.

Kikyo raised her hand and sent a wave of dark blue reiki at Kagome. Kagome waved her hand and a wall of magenta reiki pushed the blue right out of her path. Kagome lunged forward and tackled Kikyo to the ground and started punching Kikyo in the face with her good arm. After a few punches, Kikyo thrashed against her and raised a hand to Kagome's throat. Kagome knocked her elbow in, breaking her grasp, and threw a powerful right hook, catching Kikyo squarely in the face. Kagome felt Kikyo's body go slack and saw as her eyes fluttered shut. She heard Sesshomaru whimper and she whipped her head toward him. She was at his side in an instant.

"You recognize me, don't you? How did you disobey her?"

He raised his head and Kagome saw his eyes widen at something behind her. She whipped around and dropped a hand to her belt to grip the handle of one of her sai. Kikyo tackled her to the ground and had an arrow in her hand. She plunged it downward, aiming for Kagome's heart. Kagome lifted her free hand to the arrow and tried to push it away, her shoulder protesting in agony at the continued use. As she felt the arrow nearing her skin, she knew she had to do it. She wrenched the sai out of its sheath and plunged it into Kikyo's chest.

Kikyo's eyes widened in shock and pain and she gasped for breath. Her grip on the arrow loosened and Kagome ripped it out of her hands, snapped it in half and tossed it away. She pushed the woman off of her, twisted the sai and wrenched it out of her chest. Kagome watched as her wound began to fizzle and the 'flesh' around it began to crumble like dirt dropped into acid. In minutes, the only thing left of Kikyo was a pile of ashes.

Kagome sheathed her sai and turned toward Sesshomaru. He was still on his knees and his eyes were crimson and his fangs and claws were elongated. Kagome dropped to her knees in front of him and dug through her pocket until she found the small pouch with the reversal powder. She emptied its contents into her hand and blew it into Sesshomaru's face. He flinched as the powder landed on him and he inhaled it. She grabbed her piece of chalk and drew a circle around him. She set out the crystals and set her hands on him. She began to chant and watched as his fangs and claws slowly shrunk to normal size and as she was finishing the last verse, a glowing green orb flew into the room and approached them. It steadied itself just above his chest before plunging into him. Kagome watched him seize slightly.

After he'd stilled, his eyes opened slowly and Kagome saw that they were gold again. Tears trailed silently down her cheeks and Sesshomaru reached a hand up to wipe them away. As his skin touched hers, the contact broke Kagome's stillness. She launched herself into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She ignored the pain in her shoulder as tears flowed freely from her eyes and he clutched her tightly against him. For a few minutes, they sat there, content to be in each other's arms.

After a moment, Sesshomaru realized she was speaking to him and he smelled her blood. He pulled back to look at her face.

"I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! If I hadn't", she broke off with a yelp as his mouth crashed down to hers.

"Later. We will discuss this later", he said between kisses with a gruff voice.

"You're injured, Kagome", he stated, his voice laced with concern.

She nodded, "Can you pull the bullet out so that I can heal it?"

His eyes flashed crimson, "You were shot?"

She nodded and hissed as he reached into the wound with his claws and dug around slightly before pulling it out. He dropped the offending piece of metal and it rolled away. She'd struggled to keep breathing and not pass out as he pulled it out. When it was done, she exhaled heavily and settled her palms over her wounds and she funneled her reiki into them. After a few moments, the wounds were fully healed and she sighed in relief. She dropped her hands and Sesshomaru snatched her up and pulled her to him. He held her in a crushing embrace, scenting her hair and running his nose along her throat. She smiled into his chest and took in his familiar scent.

Kagome turned in his arms as she heard a crash in the hallway. Sesshomaru rose a brow at her.

"Your mom and my best friend are out there taking care of the last of the guards."

He nodded and rose with her in his arms before setting her feet on the ground, "Stay close to me this time. I mean it."

She nodded sheepishly and followed him through the door and into the hallway. Kagome peered around him and saw Inukimi and Sango in the hallway thrashing the last of the guards. With the crack of a whip, and a slash of the sword, the battle was over and the guards were all taken care of.

Inukimi raised her head to see Sesshomaru standing in the hallway. Within the blink of an eye, Inukimi was standing in front of him, pulling him into a crushing hug. He grunted in surprise as her arms enveloped him and the smell of salt entered his nose. She was crying. He allowed her to hug him, and he even let one of his arms encircle her. She eased away after a few seconds and he noticed there was a ningen slayer standing a few feet from him with a sly, knowing smile on her face. He raised a brow at her and she bowed to him with a smirk on her face. Kagome chirped from behind him.

"Sesshomaru, that's Sango. She's my best friend and a demon slayer."

He turned to her with a raised brow, "Your best friend is a demon slayer?"

She nodded before tilting her head at him, "I could have sworn I'd told you that."

He rolled his eyes at her, _knowing her, she'd thought she'd told me, but never had_.

Sesshomaru turned to his mother with brows raised and she nodded at him.

"Sango and I are going to search the house. Kagome, take him to the car and take care of any other guards you find, if there are any left."

Kagome nodded and Sesshomaru scowled, "Am I a pup to be escorted everywhere now?"

Kagome glared at him, "I'm not letting you out of my sight any time soon. Do not argue with me."

His eyebrows rose in surprise at her tone of authority but he also heard the raw pain in her voice and realized she'd been going through quite a lot these past few days, and without him. He nodded and trailed through the house with her by his side. He felt as her aura rolled over him like waves every ten seconds. The sensation felt soothing but stung a lot, like cold water; it was nice and refreshing, but too much was highly uncomfortable. Unintentionally, he raised his hand to his neck. He froze in his tracks when he felt smooth, unmarred skin.

Kagome, oblivious to his movements, yelped when he grabbed her hand suddenly and wrenched her to his side. He lifted his hand to her collar and pulled it down to look at her neck. Soft, pale, unmarked flesh met his gaze. Kagome relaxed sadly as she realized what he was looking for. Smiling softly, she rose her hands to cup his face and caressed a thumb across one of his stripes.

"It's okay. We can just remark each other."

He snarled at her, "It is _not_ okay." His aura flared out around them dangerously, portraying the depth of his anger and pain.

Her eyes rose to his and she saw the fury and anguish in his gaze. She tilted her head in question, but he shook his head and pulled her from the house. He swept his hand forward, indicating that she should lead them back to the car where they could talk in private.

She shook her head absently, and continued to pulse her reiki in waves, searching their surroundings for anyone they'd missed. She walked with him, hand in hand, back to the car. She noticed that every time her reiki washed over him, he tensed. She turned and saw that his hands looked burnt, and she gasped.

"Oh my god! Have I been burning you? Sesshomaru! Why didn't you tell me?"

He raised a brow at her, "I can barely feel it." He lied, _and this is my punishment to myself for not realizing the pain you have been in,_ he thought to himself.

She scowled and settled her hands over his burns and pushed her reiki over him gently, healing the burnt skin. With a huff, she turned back toward the car. As they approached the car, she sent out another wave of reiki and this time it went around him. He raised a brow at her. He watched as she stiffened and pulled out a bow that he'd never seen before. She readied an arrow and he watched as a neko demon came streaking toward them. He conjured his whip, but before he could strike out, he saw a flash of blinding magenta light. When he could see again, he noted that there was a pile of ash where the demon had been standing. He saw there was an arrow embedded in the ground where the ashes laid.

He turned to Kagome with a dumbfounded expression on his face and she shrugged sheepishly.

"Your dad gave me this bow. It enhances my spiritual powers."

He nodded, noticing that the bow hummed with purity. He made a mental note not to touch it until they were mated again. He frowned heavily at the thought. Without preamble, he wrenched the door open and picked her up. He got into the car and settled her on his lap, thankful for the large interior.

She stared at him with wide eyes, wondering why he seemed so angry. He could smell her confusion, but anger rolled through him that he couldn't _feel_ it anymore.

"What's wrong? Tell me what's bothering you."

"Kagome, I…", his voice was strangled as he tried to find a way to apologize.

"It's okay. Everything's okay now."

"No. It's not. As your mate I'm supposed to protect you and I can't protect you if I allow myself to get captured."

He growled the last part out.

"No, it's not your fault! If I hadn't wandered off, none of this would have happened! I was an idiot! God, the pain you must have gone through-", she broke off as he growled venomously.

"Me? You must have been in agony these past few days! A miko pregnant with a youkai pup? That must have been _agony,_ Kagome! _Do not lie to me_ and tell me this is your fault."

Kagome smiled at him softly and it melted some of his fury, "Okay, can we agree to disagree? I shouldn't have gone off on my own, and you shouldn't have gotten so close to her. We both made mistakes, but now she's dead and we're back together. Besides, your mother gave me drops of her yoki in my tea, and it took the nausea and headaches away."

He looked more willing to concede then he had moments before, so she pressed on in an attempt to distract him, "And besides, I _talked_ to it, Sesshomaru. Whenever I put my hand on my stomach, the pain would go away, like it _knew_ I was asking it to stop. It was incredible. And since I've been near you, I'm not in any pain, like it _knows_ you're here."

His eyes widened a bit and he looked down at her flat abdomen before placing a hand on her stomach. He couldn't feel or hear anything yet, but he didn't expect to, it was far too soon, but he could smell the contentment that washed through Kagome at his touch. She sighed heavily and her eyes drooped.

"It's like morphine to my senses when you touch me. It's like the baby-"

"Pup", he interrupted.

She glowered at him, "As I was saying, it's like the _pup_ knows that you're its dad and that you're near."

A small grin lit up his face, "Of course it knows. It can feel my aura. Even after a few days, it would be able to feel the similarities in our auras."

She smiled and her eyes drooped closed as she leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck and nuzzled her face into his throat. He buried his face in her neck and scented her hair, living in the moment, savoring her presence.

"How did you fight her commands? Inuyasha was mindless when she had control of him, but you managed to break away. How?"

"Apparently she's never tried to take over a full demon before. My beast managed to get control over my body and my mind. Not completely, but for long enough periods of time to keep me from being under her control. I tried to gather information but she was very careful around me, like she suspected that her enchantment wouldn't hold me for long. She seemed surprised that it worked at all."

She nodded slightly against his chest, "I can't imagine that anyone would dare attempt to do what she did. My guess is that she was desperate when you cornered her."

He nodded and ran his hands through her hair while staring at her calm face. She opened her eyes slightly and looked into his amber orbs. A small smile lit her face.

"Sesshomaru, you're going to be a daddy."

His eyes widened and the full reality of the fact crashed down on him and for the first time in hundreds of years, he felt the urge to shed happy tears. A large, dashing smile spread across his face and Kagome saw true happiness there and tears welled up in her eyes.

"You're happy then?"

He nodded and kissed her softly, "Yes, I'm happy. I love you, Kagome."

"I love you too, Sesshomaru."

Kagome smiled softly before her eyes fell shut and she fell asleep in his lap.

* * *

A few hours later, Kagome felt herself being moved and she cracked her eyes open to find that she was clinging to Sesshomaru like a koala and he was carrying her from the car to the house. She raised her head in time to see Inuyasha, Toga, and Izayoi come out from the house. Kagome could have sworn she saw Toga wiping moisture from his eyes, while Izayoi was crying heavily and Inuyasha looked highly uncomfortable with the entire scene. Izayoi and Toga beelined for the couple and as Sesshomaru was about to set her down, Izayoi and Toga wrapped the two of them in a hug. Sesshomaru stiffened uncomfortably and Kagome laughed at the cringe he was trying to hide. Once they were released, Toga set a hand on Sesshomaru's shoulder and squeezed it affectionately.

"It's good to see you safe and sound, son."

Sesshomaru nodded and gripped Kagome tighter. She smiled and rested her head on his chest before tapping him and jerking her head toward Inuyasha. He narrowed his eyes in his half brothers direction and set Kagome down before stepping in between the two. Kagome saw Inuyasha sigh heavily and she tapped Sesshomaru's shoulder to get his attention. He turned to her with curiosity in his gaze. She put a hand on her hip and a sweet smile on her face.

"Be nice."

He narrowed his eyes at her before sighing almost imperceptibly in defeat. He knew he wouldn't be able to treat Inuyasha as he used to, Kagome would not allow it. Though, he didn't understand why she'd be nice to him at all, he'd done horrible things to her. He made a mental note to ask her about it later. He turned to his half brother and gave him a nod of recognition, but kept his eyes narrowed so that Inuyasha knew he'd be treading on thin ice. Kagome watched as Inuyasha sighed in obvious relief that Sesshomaru wasn't killing him just yet.

Toga threw his arm over Sesshomaru's shoulders and Inukimi took his other side and looped her arm through her sons. Kagome watched them walk into the house with unshed tears in her eyes. Sango came up behind her and put her arm around her shoulders. Kagome turned to her with a watery smile.

"We did it. You have your mate back."

Kagome's smile widened, "Thank you for helping. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it more than you could know."

She nodded, "Always, Kagome."

"Do you want to stay the night? It's late."

Sango shook her head, "Thank you, but I have to check on my brother, and I'm sure the house is going to be far too loud for my liking tonight."

Her last statement was delivered with a wink and Kagome blushed heavily as they walked into the house.

"I'm going to change before I go. Call me tomorrow, and let me know when you're moving on Naraku, I'd love to be apart of it. And don't be a stranger anymore, no ignoring me for months at a time!"

Kagome nodded sheepishly and pulled Sango into her arms. They hugged quickly before Sango trotted off toward the spare bedroom she'd been borrowing. Kagome trailed after everyone, following the sound of voices. She smiled to herself as she wandered along, she had him back. Someone cleared their throat behind her and Kagome yelped and turned around. Seeing Inuyasha trailing along behind her, she narrowed her eyes at him before taking a calming breath and reminding herself that he wasn't going to hurt her anymore. She cleared her face, straightened her spine, and looked him in the eye.

"Inuyasha, if you have something to say, just say it."

He nodded and looked away sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Kagome, for everything. I know that excuses won't change what was done to you, but I am sorry. I will make it up to you in any way that I can."

She studied his face and he looked like a guilty mess. She smiled tenderly at him. He'd behaved like a monster, but it wasn't necessarily his fault. She wished that the answer would have been clear and easy to navigate, but it wasn't. She knew she'd have to funnel her anger over what had been done to her toward Naraku since Kikyo was dead and Inuyasha had been under their control. He had been a victim too, though that didn't bring her peace and clarity.

"It's okay. I know it wasn't _you._ That being said, I don't even really know you anymore, and I'm still a bit gun shy, so you might want to take it easy with the sneaking around. I suggest you stay far away from Sesshomaru, he doesn't forgive as easily."

He snorted, "No kidding."

She smirked at him and kept following the voices. She cocked her head to the side when she noticed they'd stopped and Sesshomaru was turned in her direction with his eyes narrowed at them. She smiled at him and when he lifted his eyes to hers, her insides melted. His golden eyes were molten honey and filled with so much emotion that Kagome knew she could drown in it. She could see the passion and need in his eyes and she gasped softly as he lifted a corner of his mouth in a grin and one of his fangs poked out. In the next moment the look was gone and his face was blank again but Kagome knew that Inuyasha had seen it because he started shifting awkwardly from foot to foot.

Sesshomaru flitted his eyes to Inuyasha and narrowed them. Inuyasha went still and threw his hands up in a peace gesture and backed away slowly before walking the opposite direction down the hallway. Toga waved them into his office and the two sat on a couch while the mothers and Toga sat across from them. Sesshomaru shot his father an impatient look and Toga chuckled.

"I won't keep you long, I know you're tired."

Sesshomaru grunted and turned his head to find Kagome already napping against the back of the couch. A soft smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"Find anything out?"

Sesshomaru shook his head, "No, she was very careful around me. It seemed as though she expected me to be able break her enchantment."

Toga nodded thoughtfully, "I wondered if your beast would allow your body to be taken over. Apparently, he did not like it."

Sesshomaru nodded tiredly, "Can we do this tomorrow?"

Toga nodded, "Of course, son. I'm glad you're back."

Sesshomaru grunted as he stood, "Me too."

Turning, he gathered Kagome in his arms and she stirred a bit before nuzzling into his chest. He smiled down at her and walked out of the room, leaving behind three weepy and ecstatic parents. He trailed through the hallways with kagome in his arms, relishing the feeling of her warmth. He made his way to the furthest western portion of the house and kicked open the door to his old bedroom. He smiled faintly as Kagome's scent filled his nostrils; she'd been staying in here while he was gone. He kicked the door closed and set Kagome on the bed gently. He stalked over to the chair and pulled off his armor piece by piece, thrilled to be out of it. As he was removing the leg braces, he heard a giggle and turned to see Kagome staring at him with flushed cheeks.

"Enjoying the show?"

She colored again and giggled, "Of course I am. We're finally alone right?"

He chuckled softly, "Yes, we're alone now."

He pulled off the leg braces and dropped them in the pile on the chair before grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling the garment over his head. He tossed it to the floor and reached for the ties of his trousers. He saw that Kagome was watching him with rapt attention and he grinned wolfishly at her before pulling them off. She giggled at him and he raised a brow in question.

"I didn't notice before, but you wear boxer-briefs."

He cocked his head to the side, "And?"

She giggled again, "And I like them."

He grinned and moved to the foot of the bed. Capturing one of her feet, he dragged her toward him and started pulling off her shoes. She laid there, complacent, as he began to remove her armor. Once her armor had joined his on the chair, he pulled on her blouse and she raised her arms to help the process along. Once the garment was free, he tossed it away and moved to the hem of her pants. He ran his fingers along the edge of the fabric from one side of her pelvis to the other. Kagome sighed contentedly under his ministrations. He hooked his fingers into the hemline and pulled the fabric down her legs slowly. She lifted her hips to help him again and once it was off, he threw it over his shoulder.

She expected him to leap on her, but when he didn't, she cracked an eye open to see what he was doing. He stood in front of her, gazing down at her face and letting his gaze wander across her exposed skin. She tilted her head at him and in response he clasped his hand around one of her ankles and brought it up to his mouth. He kissed her ankle and began a path up to the juncture of her hip, than back again. Once he reached her ankle, he set it down and moved to the other. He repeated the process before moving to each hand. Once he'd finished kissing each finger tip, he slowly crawled over her, kissing a trail from her pelvis to her throat. She squirmed and moaned softly under his attentions and he collected each sound as if they were precious gifts. To him, they were.

As he reached her throat, he licked a trail from her collar bone to the shell of her ear. He felt her shiver underneath him and heard her soft mewl. He grinned at her responsiveness. He lifted his head to find her watching him through half lidded, pleasure filled eyes and her chest was rising and falling rapidly. He titled his head as he saw her bra and panties. They were black lace and they were positively erotic to behold, but he wanted them gone, now.

"Are you overly fond of this set," he asked as he fingered one of the straps.

She shook her head vigorously and let out a moan as he sliced through the material quickly. The bra fell open to reveal her perfectly rounded breasts and hardened nipples. She groaned as the cool air met her hot, flushed, over sensitive skin. He growled in pleasure as he raised a thumb to gently brush over the tiny pink bud. Kagome convulsed underneath him, though the touch was light. He brought his hand down to her panties and sliced those off as well. Gathering both the garments in his hand, he tossed them out of sight before trailing a claw from Kagome's hip to the underside of her breast. She writhed underneath him and panted in frustration.

He lowered his head and pressed hot, open mouthed kisses to her throat and trailed down her chest to a pink, hardened nipple. He flicked it with his tongue and grazed it with a fang before moving onward, continuing his path. Kagome whimpered at the tease, he was killing her with the slow seduction. He moved down her body slowly, kissing a path to her abdomen before he stopped with wide eyes. He lowered his nose to her flesh and inhaled the scent of their pup. Smiling softly, he kissed the spot before continuing his path southward. He kissed the junctures of both hips before moving to where he _really_ wanted to be. He could smell her arousal and it was drugging him. His lids drooped and his eyes reddened in anticipation. He licked the inside of each thigh before moving toward the little bud that controlled Kagome's arousal. He licked around it before slowly inserting two fingers into her. She groaned and bucked off the bed, he moved his other arm to pin her hips down. She squirmed and moaned as he lapped at her, everywhere but the place she wanted. She whimpered at his teasing.

Finally, he latched onto her clit and flicked it with his tongue in rhythm with his fingers. Kagome came immediately, moaning his name and thrashing beneath him. He lapped at her core until she'd stopped moving, savoring her intricate taste. It was intoxicating and he'd never tire of it. He started again in a slow languid rhythm, lapping at her gently, barely touching her over sensitive bud. Kagome felt arousal spear through her again and she thrust a hand into his hair while grinding her hips up into his greedy mouth. Sesshomaru felt as her arousal was rekindled and it broke his control. Pulling his fingers out of her and backing away from the bed he pulled his underwear off with demonic speed and nearly leapt on top of her. He steadied his hardened cock at her entrance.

"Are you ready, do you still want this?"

She reached up and cupped his head pulling him down to her before latching her mouth to his in answer. He groaned into their kiss and thrust inside her. She moaned loudly as he entered her and he growled with pleasure as he buried himself deep inside of her. She raked her fingernails down his back as he began a torturously slow rhythm. She yanked on his hair, pulled his head down to hers and bit his lip before devouring his mouth. The slight pain she'd inflicted upon him turned into pleasure and fire and soon his control snapped and he broke into a punishing rhythm. She would have grinned if she'd been able to, he was now giving her just what she wanted. Everytime he buried himself inside her, her walls pulled on him and she moaned loudly, bringing him closer to his end.

Quickly, he rolled her beneath him until she was resting on her front and he pushed into her slowly and she groaned at the feeling of him filling her. He started a slow, torturous slide, bringing himself deep inside her and pulling almost all the way out before repeating again slowly. She moaned and writhed beneath him, calling his name and gripping his cock with her tight sheath. He growled into the flesh of her neck before sucking on her tender skin. He ran a claw up her naked back and she shivered in delight. Soon, impatience overwhelmed her and she began to push back into him at her own pace. Sesshomaru groaned as he felt her grip him eagerly and he grabbed her hips and began thrusting into her at breakneck speed.

Kagome cried out in ecstasy at the unexpected change in speed and felt herself drawing dangerously close to her climax. Sesshomaru's movements were getting rougher and she knew he was close too. Moaning in pleasure, she made to turn onto her back but was snatched into Sesshomaru's arms. He settled her across his thighs so that he was kneeling and she was straddling him. He thrust up into her and she cried out his name. He dropped his head to her breast and pulled one of her rose-colored peaks into his mouth and lapped at it, grazing it now and then with a fang. She moaned louder and clawed his back with her blunt nails. The action made him accelerate his strokes and he gripped the back of her neck with one of his hands and crashed his mouth down to hers, consuming her.

Kagome's release crashed over her and her vision went blurry as she called out his name. She heard her own name fall from his lips as he came with her and released his seed inside her. She dropped her head to the juncture of his neck and sank her teeth into his flesh as he did the same to her. A blinding wave of their yoki and reiki shot out and filled the room and it sent another shock wave of pleasure through them both, causing them to convulse in each other's arms. She wrapped her legs around him, lapped at the wound, then latched her mouth onto his.

They rode through the waves of pleasure together, coming down from it as one and their aura's joined and Kagome felt her shoulder tingling and she knew if she looked, her mark would be there. She opened her eyes to see their silver aura dancing around the room and yelped as Sesshomaru fell backward with her in his arms to the mattress. She giggled as he settled her onto his chest and pulled the blanket over her, never pulling out of her. She nuzzled into his chest and ran her thumb over his mark. He shivered pleasurably at the sensation and felt her contentment and love through their bond. He sighed in relief, they were bound again. She was his mate again.

With smiles nestled on their faces and bodies intertwined, the two fell asleep instantly.

* * *

 _ **Thank you all for reading. I hope everyone enjoyed. Please leave me some feedback. I want to know if this chapter was good enough following all the drama I threw at you in the last two chapters. Thank you for reading!**_

 _ **-Love KJ**_


	15. Chapter 15: Family Vote (Fluff)

_Hello everyone. Sorry I've been gone so long. I will try to update more often. This chapter is short and is mostly fluff. We will move on back to the plot soon._

 _I hope you all enjoy._

 _-KJ_

 ** _Disclaimer:_ I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

Light filtered into her senses slowly and she blinked away the blinding sunlight. Slowly, she registered that she was wrapped in something warm and opened her eyes. She let her eyes trail over the demon that was wound around her like roots. A small smile lit her face as she realized he was still asleep; his face was peaceful and clear. She took inventory of her body and found that her limbs were intertwined with Sesshomaru's and if she tried to free herself, she'd wake him. She smiled with contentment and dropped her head back to its resting place, which, apparently, was Sesshomaru's arm.

She studied his face carefully and saw that a minuscule smile was resting at the corners of his mouth. His face was relaxed in sleep and he looked so young and boyish when he was trapped in his dreams. Her smile grew wider as she saw the mating mark on his neck.

A dreamy sigh escaped her lips and Sesshomaru's arms drew tighter around her body. A small growl left his lips and he nuzzled into her throat before she heard him inhale deeply through his nose. His arms tightened around her again, pulling her as close to him as possible before he let out a content grumble that very closely resembled a purr, though she'd never tell him that. She lifted a hand to his face and gently brushed a thumb across his left stripe. He grumbled happily again before slitting on eye open at her and frowning slightly. She smiled softly at him, and he could see the love in her eyes. Those sapphire orbs were windows to her soul and all he saw in them were happiness and love and he wanted nothing more than to spend the day in bed with her, staring into those sea blue eyes.

He pulled her face to his and kissed her softly, letting their lips dance slowly together. When he pulled back to look at her face, it was flushed and she was beaming at him.

"Good morning", she said with a voice that was as sweet as honey.

He nuzzled back into her neck and scented her again, relishing their bond and her innate smell, "Morning, koi."

She shivered at the term of endearment, happiness spearing through her heart.

"What are we doing today?"

He grunted softly, "If I had my way, we wouldn't leave this bed. As it is, my ears are telling me I will not get my way."

She tilted her head sideways in question and he chuckled softly and ruffled her hair, "Izayoi is cooking breakfast; all of my favorite foods, yours and Inuyasha's. There will be a veritable mountain of food down there."

He squinted slightly and she saw one of his ears twitch before he sighed, "And your mother and brother are here. Honestly, we need our own house. We will never have any peace and quiet here."

She smiled tenderly at him, and he could feel amusement emanating from her, "Yes, but there's nothing so satisfying as coming home to a house filled with your loved ones. Knowing that there will always be someone there to listen to you or make you tea after a long day, nothing can beat that. Now that I'm pregnant, we're going to need all the help we can get."

A brilliant smile lit up his face for the span of a few seconds before it was replaced with the cold calculating look that everyone was used to. She waited for him to decide what would be best for them with a small smile on her face. When he sighed dramatically and scowled, she giggled and her smile grew wider.

"I see the merit in being here. You'll always have someone to protect you and the pup and you'll never be lonely if I'm away for some reason and my father can bring in more security at any time."

He rolled his eyes, "I yield, we can stay for now, but when they become unbearable, which they will, then we will leave."

She giggled again, "How can I leave when they'll cook me breakfast every morning and basically worship me because I'm the mother of the heir of the west?"

He pinned her with a mock-threatening stare, "You're going to milk this for all it's worth, aren't you?"

Her smile widened, "You bet your ass, I am."

A small smile played on his lips and he chuckled gruffly before pulling her to him and kissing her forehead tenderly.

Her mouth quirked in a smile, "You know if we do get our own house, they'll just visit us every day anyhow."

He opened his mouth to say something but a knock sounded at the door and he snapped his mouth shut and glared at the door menacingly. He pulled the blanket up to her chin and she giggled at him.

"Enter."

Izayoi and Inukimi tiptoed in the room and saw the comedic display before them, as if Kagome needed to hide every inch below her ears from the mothers. Izayoi cracked up at the sight while Inukimi sent Sesshomaru a baleful glance.

She sighed dramatically at him, "That's unnecessary, you know I can smell _everything,_ Sesshomaru. On a different note, breakfast is ready and Kagome's family is here. Come join us so that we can properly celebrate the pregnancy. Also, no, Sesshomaru, you may _not_ stay in bed with her all day."

She leveled a threatening glare at her son and Izayoi giggled as the two mothers left. Kagome burst into laughter as the door clicked shut and Sesshomaru released his death grip on the blanket and watched Kagome struggle through her fit of laughter. As quickly as the laughter had come, it disappeared and Kagome's face turned positively green. She ripped the blanket off her and sprinted to the bathroom. In seconds, Sesshomaru heard the sounds of her throwing her guts up. He followed her to the bathroom, in a slight panic, and pulled her hair back and out of her face.

"Kagome, are you okay? What's wrong?"

Between retches, she answered, "Nothing's wrong. Morning sickness. I'll be fine. Need to eat."

He rubbed her back in soothing circles while she dry heaved because he didn't know what else to do. He felt her muscles relax at his touch and he grabbed a hair tie and braided her hair swiftly before starting to gently knead her muscles with his hands. Almost instantly, the tension escaped from her face and her muscles relaxed until she was leaning back against him.

"Water?" She requested softly, keeping her eyes closed and breathing deeply.

He snatched a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water before handing it to her and leaning her back against him again. She rested against him and took sips of water. After she rinsed her mouth out, she opened her eyes and looked at him affectionately.

"Thank you."

He nodded at her, "Always."

"I think I could eat now."

He nodded and helped her up off the floor, but kept his arms around her waist as they made their way down to the kitchen. Sesshomaru had been correct in assuming there would be mountains of food. Assorted breakfast foods sat on every available surface and Kagome eyed it all hungrily. Izayoi approached her with coffee and when its scent wafted to Kagome, she threw a hand over her mouth and dry heaved. Izayoi backed away and threw out the coffee before returning with herbal tea. Kagome grabbed it greedily and drank it slowly.

She smiled weakly at Izayoi, "Sorry, tender stomach. The morning sickness is stirring up my stomach today."

Izayoi's eyes misted over as she patted Kagome's hand gently, a watery smile on her face. As she turned toward the table, she found Toga and Inuyasha seated while Inukimi stood next to Toga, whispering fervently in his ear. Kagome raised a brow at her, smirked and sat down at the table and sipped her tea while watching the two quietly quarrel. Sesshomaru's ears twitched as he eavesdropped on his parents. A scowl settled on his face as he realized why they were arguing. He cleared his throat loudly and glared daggers at them before Kagome caught on to their topic of conversation.

Their heads snapped up and the made eye contact with his poisonous glare. Toga's eyes softened and Inukimi glared at him before shuffling over to the counters laden in food. She slowly picked her way through each item, placing one of everything on a plate before setting it in front of Kagome. Kagome's eyes bulged at the overflowing plate before tentatively opening her mouth.

"You expect me to eat all of this?"

Inukimi's eyes softened and she patted Kagome's head, "No, but I would like you to try to eat as much as possible. You're growing life."

Kagome blushed and turned her attention to her food. She ate for a while until shouting in the next room made her look up. She cocked her head to the side and stared at the door before letting a small wave of her reiki flow through the room and toward the noise. She narrowed her eyes as her reiki flowed over the two that were shouting; Souta and her mother. The moment her reiki touched them; they fell silent. She set her face into a scowl as they entered the room. She noticed that Souta's face was ruddy and his eyes held unshed tears. Her mother's face was clear and pristine; obviously she was hiding something. Kagome glanced around the room and noticed that _everyone_ was staring at her cautiously, as if she'd figured out what had been said and that she was going to get angry over it. She sighed, annoyed.

"Is anyone going to explain why you're all acting weird, or am I just going to remain in the dark?"

Sesshomaru's hand landed on her shoulder, Toga's eyes softened, Inukimi rested her hand on Kagome's other shoulder, and Souta and her mother glared at each other. Kagome glanced toward Inuyasha and noticed that he was avoiding her gaze entirely. She narrowed her gaze at him, knowing that he'd be the easiest nut to crack.

"Inuyasha. Would you like to be the one to tell me what's going on?"

He turned his head toward her and got caught in his mother's encouraging gaze. He swiveled his eyes to his father and saw Toga shaking his head softly. His eyes finally fell to Sesshomaru, who's gaze was surprisingly passive. He read the intent there, _tell her what you wish._

Inuyasha cleared his throat, "Well, I think that the family is divided in their opinion of whether or not you should be in the fight against Naraku, whenever that happens."

His voice trailed off at the end, growing quieter. Kagome sat with a mask of calm on her face as she digested the information. A multitude of emotions whirled through her, the most prominent was annoyance.

"Who's for?"

She watched as Inukimi, her mother, and Inuyasha slowly raised their hands. She turned to see that Sesshomaru's wasn't up. That made three who wouldn't fight her decision if she wanted to join the battle.

"Who is against?"

Toga, Souta and Izayoi raised their hands. She turned and saw, once again, that Sesshomaru hadn't raised his hand. She grabbed her tea cup, stood, and walked from the room with Sesshomaru following close behind. When they made it to the gardens, she turned to face him. She raised one soft brow in his direction and he sighed heavily.

"I cannot tell you whether you can go or not. As your mate, it is entirely within my rights to command you to stay here, but I cannot assure your safety unless I am present. If you want to fight, I won't tell you no, but I will be keeping you very close. If you don't want to fight, I will do everything possible to keep you safe while I am gone. Ultimately, it is your decision."

Kagome tilted her head to the side and saw the tortured emotions rolling over his golden gaze.

"That was very rational, and thoughtful. Now, tell me how you really feel. Tell me exactly how you feel about me going into a big battle, pregnant with your heir."

Instantly, he had his arms wound around her and had brought his forehead to hers, and stared deep into her eyes.

"I don't want you more than five feet away from me at any time, for any reason. At the same time, I don't want you anywhere near that battle, or Naraku. If I don't take you with me, I will be concerned that you're in danger. If I take you, you will definitely be in danger. It is a no-win scenario. I am angry that there isn't an obvious solution."

She watched his markings elongate and go jagged while he spoke. She saw the red that began to rim his eyes and her gaze softened at the raw emotion they held.

She sighed softly, "The obvious solution is to stay together, and be more vigilant then last time. If we are apart, we are vulnerable."

His eyes clenched shut and when he opened them, they were almost completely red.

"I will not let him take you from me", he spoke in a low growl through clenched teeth.

"No one will. We will take extra precautions this time, and we won't be alone."

He nodded slowly, "Let's get you back in the house and feed you."

She chuckled softly and led him back into the house by his hand. When they entered, she found that Souta was pouting in the corner and the mothers were all talking rapidly. Inuyasha looked smug and Toga looked partially annoyed and partially worried. She sat next to him and set her hand on his shoulder. His gaze softened as it landed on her smiling face.

"You're brave, even by demon standards", he stated with a smirk on his face.

She swatted his arm with mock annoyance, "Don't discriminate."

He motioned his hand between Izayoi and herself multiple times until Kagome laughed and went back to eating her breakfast.

* * *

 _ **Thank you for reading. I know this is mostly fluff, but I needed to get it out of the way before we move on. I hope you're all still reading and enjoying. Feedback is welcome. I will try to update again soon.**_

 _ **-KJ**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Hello all! Here's another update. I know it's been a while, and this is mostly fluff. Thanks for sticking with me!**_

 ** _Disclaimer:_ I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**

* * *

Day by day, hour by hour, Kagome's power, strength, confidence, hunger, and attitude grew. The power within her became sweltering and nearly uncontrollable, especially when she was in a temper, which was nearly all the time. By the time she hit the third month of her pregnancy, everyone was having a difficult time regulating their tempers, except for Sesshomaru. Kagome's hormones had been making her extremely unpredictable and her mood swings were giving everyone whiplash. Sesshomaru rode through her tantrums by using the massive amount of patience that he had at his disposal. One moment she'd be angry, and the next, she'd be sobbing in his arms and apologizing for being irrational. Ten minutes later she'd be in the garden sitting on a pathway humming and smiling at flowers. Sesshomaru wasn't entirely convinced she wasn't suffering from a multiple personality disorder, but he kept that thought to himself.

He had been growing agitated though, because it seemed as if his pup was playing games with him. The pup growing in Kagome's womb was growing at an abnormally fast rate, evidenced by the fact that Kagome already had a good-sized baby bump, but she was only three months along. He was also irritated because the baby was _blocking_ him from being able to scent the gender and was also blocking the sound of the pup's heartbeat. Sesshomaru knew that the pup was growing, if Kagome's size was any indication, but he couldn't figure out how he was being blocked. He was stumped and agitated and it was starting to show.

Kagome was sitting in the library skimming a novel when Sesshomaru sighed heavily from where he was posted by the window. She dropped her book into her lap and studied him curiously. She had noticed the stress lines around his eyes and the annoyed set of his shoulders; something was bothering him. She rose a brow at him in question.

"Will you come sit with me, Sesshomaru?"

Without giving an answer, he strode to where she was seated, plucked her out of her chair, and settled her in his lap. She giggled at his man handling tendencies. She lifted a hand to his face and stroked one of his stripes.

"Sesshomaru, what's been bothering you?"  
His eyes widened a fraction, before a smirk lit his face, "You always have been very adept at reading me"

A small smile lit up her face but she just nodded at him, encouraging him to confide in her.

He sighed again, "The pup is blocking me from scenting the gender or hearing the heartbeat."

Kagome's eyes widened and she lowered a hand to her bump.

"I didn't even know it could do that."

Sesshomaru scowled, "Neither did I."

Kagome giggled; it wasn't often that Sesshomaru admitted to not knowing something.

"Maybe you could sweet talk the pup into letting you in? If anyone can, it would be you."

He frowned at her and tilted his head to the side in confusion. She nearly chuckled at the action but held it in due to his obvious irritation.

"How would I do that?"

She smiled at him tenderly, "Talk to it. Maybe it wants to hear your voice and know it's safe."

She grabbed his hands and settled them over her small, rounded abdomen. She leaned back against him and closed her eyes, attempting to give him privacy. She knew he might find the idea stupid, but she figured if mothers could feel babies moving around, then the baby should be able to hear voices.

Sesshomaru stared at her passive, peaceful face for a while before he turned to stare at her small rounded stomach. His hands dwarfed her abdomen, making her look tiny in comparison. He tilted his head to the side again and wondered what he should say. Eventually, he realized that Kagome had fallen asleep while he'd been thinking. Her breaths had evened out and she was limp as a rag doll in his arms.

Making a decision, he began to hum a lullaby that he'd heard Izayoi sing to Inuyasha countless times. Sesshomaru was certain that if Kagome was awake, she'd be staring at him in shock, because his voice was deep and even and had good tone. He became distracted in the song, trying to remember the notes and words.

An indistinct thumping sound filtered into his concentration and he fell silent immediately. The thumping noise didn't return, though, so he began to hum again, more quietly this time as he leaned over Kagome to press his ear against her abdomen. After a few moments, he heard the thumping noises again and his heart nearly stopped in his chest. He rested back into the chair once more and pulled Kagome tight against him and continued to hum into her ear.

..

The mothers found them in the library with Kagome asleep and perched in Sesshomaru's lap and they heard the deep rumble of his hum, a sound that Inukimi hadn't heard in hundreds of years. Tears sprang to Izayoi's eyes as she realized Sesshomaru was humming the lullaby she'd sung to Inuyasha when he was a pup.

Suddenly Inukimi sucked in a harsh breath and her heart fluttered in her chest and she brought her hand to cover her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

Izayoi clutched at Inukimi's arm, "What is it?"

Tears continued to track down her perfect face, "I can hear their heartbeats."

Izayoi inhaled sharply and stumbled into the room to be closer to them. Sesshomaru raised his head slowly as his humming died off and the mothers could see the absolute contentment that lingered in his gaze. He knew, as well as they did what this meant.

"We're having twins", Sesshomaru rumbled quietly, the sound deep and nearly a growl, containing the vicious edge of proud and protective parent.

Kagome began to stir and Sesshomaru knew that she would wake grumpy to the sight in front of him, but he was too pleased to care. She began to blink and turn in his arms, and she opened her eyes to find the entire family sitting around her in various positions. Inuyasha was perched in the window nook, all three of the mother's had pulled up chairs and sat no more than five feet away from her, and Toga was laying on the ground between her and the mothers with his eyes closed and the biggest smile she'd ever seen stretching on his face. Souta was perched at Sesshomaru's other elbow, eyeballing Kagome like she was a tiger at the zoo. She blinked a few times before shifting her gaze to Sesshomaru who had a smug look on his face. She cocked a brow at him and chuckled nervously.

"Why is everyone staring at me?"

A hint of smile played at the corner of his lips before he grabbed one of her hands and positioned it on the bottom left side of her baby bump and grabbed the other hand and put it on the top right of her abdomen. The room was silent and she could feel a small, rapid beating against her finger tips and eventually, she could hear it as well. Confusion filled her as she began to notice the beating in one hand wasn't beating in time with the other. She tilted her head to the side and focused more directly on the beating noises and the gentle thumping in her fingertips. When it finally sunk in, her gaze darted to Sesshomaru.

"Am I hearing this right?"

He nodded and her hand flew to her mouth while tears filled her eyes.

"Twins?"

He nodded again and she burst into full on messy sobs of joy. He could smell her joy, so he wasn't concerned that she was upset about this new development. She clutched the front of Sesshomaru's shirt and cried into his chest.

She gasped in softly while tears continued to run down her beautiful face, "How are we supposed to take care of two children? Oh gods, we are never going to be able to move out now, they'll never let us keep _two_ of their grandchildren in a different house!"

The family chuckled softly and Kagome dissolved into a fit of watery giggles and Sesshomaru waited for her shock to subside. Eventually she began to quiet and the mothers stood and hugged her, one by one and confessed their love for her and told her how proud they were of her. Inuyasha congratulated her and nodded at Sesshomaru before making a hasty exit. Souta kissed her forehead and walked out without a word, but Kagome knew he was happy for her. Toga rose slowly, the smile never leaving his face, only softening to paternal pride. He kissed Kagome's forehead as well and began to exit before coming to a slow stop.

"There will never be a person in this world more worthy of the love that is bestowed upon you. You have given us _all_ a gift by being a part of this family."

The tears rolled down Kagome's face as Toga strolled out of the room and closed the door with a soft click. Sesshomaru let his hands stroke her stomach casually while inside he felt his protective urges rising swiftly.

A terrible thought entered Sesshomaru's head, what if Kagome couldn't handle the birth of two pups at once? What if they were to strong and they hurt her on the way out? He frowned, finding this thought path to be too conflicting to him. They were his pups, and he would never hurt them, but Kagome was his mate. He couldn't bear the thought of losing any of them.

Kagome could practically taste the stress that wafted off of Sesshomaru. She turned around in his arms and saw that he hadn't even noticed her movement. She raised her hands to cup his face, her thumbs stroking his stripes. His gaze darted to hers. She leaned in slowly and pressed her lips to his. His shoulders fell slightly as she kissed him, forcing him to change his train of thought. His arms wound around her back as he pulled her tightly against him and he deepened the kiss, letting her tongue do a gentle exploration into his mouth. He nipped at her lower lip and chuckled softly at her small squeal of surprise. She leaned her head back and studied his eyes.

"What put that stressful look on your face?"

"I have concerns that you may not physically be able to handle two pups at one time."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Twins runs in my family on my mother's side. None of them ever died in labor, and none ever lost a child during labor either."

He nodded feeling slightly more confident before adding, "None of them were carrying possibly half demon children though."

She scowled at him, "I _am_ strong enough to carry these little ones. Don't worry about me, worry about how you'll be outnumbered if I have two girls."

She expected him to be concerned about the idea of three girls but his face softened.

"I can just imagine two tiny bundles with your lovely hair and beautiful blue eyes."

Kagome's eyes misted over and she pressed another kiss to his lips.

"Personally, I hope they're boys."

He shrugged at her, "We can handle whatever may happen."

Kagome's smile turned innocent, "You say that now. Imagine when one of your daughters brings home their first boyfriend."

Sesshomaru's face turned to granite and his nostrils flared slightly and Kagome burst into hysterical laughter.

"You can't kill everyone who likes or loves our children, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru smirked. He could. He absolutely could kill anyone that liked his children too much.


End file.
